Evening star., 1937-12-24
Hughes
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| hughes
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three merchant ships and I informed
him that they were American ships
under my protection His next ques-
ton was about the Chinese troops
holding solidly to which I said that
the United States was friendly to both
Japan and China and therefore
could not give him any information
about the Chinese Army. This con-
versation was witnessed by Second
Secretary, Mr.. George Atcheson, jr.,
OF the American Embassy, Nanking,
China. 1t. Murakami then invited
me to repay his call ashore, which
invitation I respectfully declined. At
9:53 am. the japanese tender cleared
the side.
Anchored 20 Miles From Marking.
AT 9:54 am. the Panay again re-
sumed her way up the river. At IL
m. I anchored the Panay at a point
20 miles up-river from Marking and
about two-hundred and tWenty-one
miles (22D above Woosung in a broad
open space in the river. My reason for
anchoring there was simply to keep
out Of the way of the contending
armies. This location seemed highly
desirable. We we're easily visible.
especially accompanied as we we're by
three merchant ships for miles around
on every side. 1t seemed unlikely
that any troops would try to cross
the river in our vicinity. In selecting
this spot I had in mind primarily the
safety of the Panay and the refugees
whom she was carrying, but also the
safety and well-being of the American
ships in the convoy and their person.
mel. Immediately upon anchoring I
posted lookouts for airplanes and troop
movements. At / pm. I allowed
party of about eight men to visit the
Moiping nearby These men were still
on board the Meiping when the attack
started and were, therefore unable to
return to the ship.
"At about 1927 PM the lookout
called down that two planes were in
sight. altitude about 1000 feet. The
weather was clear with good visibility
and no wind. The planes were clearly
visible in spite of their altitude, which
may not have been as high as reported
to me at that time. I had no idea
whatsoever that the planes intended
to attack us. About this time I
went up to the bridge with Chief
Quartermaster John Lang in order to
keep better lookout for further
plane approaches. About l:29 pm.
I looked out the door of the bridge
to pick UP again the two planes I
had originally seen and was astonished
to discover that both were rapidly
losing altitude in a direction toward
US. Almost Immediately they ap-
peared to go into power dives. Almost
Immediately bomb seemed to strike
directly over our heads, ripping a big
hole in the roof of the bridge. lost
consciousness for what must have
been only a minute or two when I
came to I discovered myself on the
deck of the bridge badly stunned, with
my head covered with blood and my
right leg painfully injured at the hip,
making it impossible for me to rise to
my feet. A hole had also been broken
in the deck of the bridge near where
Lang and I had been standing. I
asked Lang if he were injured, to
which he replied No, sir Not being
able to determine the extent of the
damage from the inside of the bridge,
which was completely wrecked, he
helped me down to the ships galley.
which is on the main deck, and a good
central point from which to direct
operations. Before I was able to
reach the galley, which was necessarily
slow process on account of my dis
abling wound, I heard the Panay's
machine guns firing and realized that
the crew was carrying on probably
under the immediate direction of It.
Anders, my executive officer. At the
galley sent Lang to notify all Off
GERS that was in the galley incapaci-
tated and to tell the engineer officer,
1t. q. g. Geist, to let me know if
We were taking water and if We could
get the ship underway.
Bombed Continuously,
From then on the planes bombed
us continuously until about 2:25 pm.
Ihey appeared to be attacking us in
relays OF two or three each. The first
group that came over bombed
from considerable altitude which
kept them beyond range of our Lewis
machine guns. Later when the Panay
was visibly smashed up they came
much closer and not only let go their
bombs from low attitudes of perhaps
one or two hundred feet, but also
machine-gunned our decks firing as
they came down diving. 1 distinctly
heard their guns which had a diff
ferent sound from the Panays. I was
informed at the time that the planes
were japanese Navy planes identified
by their characteristic red circle. Ac-
cording to my reckoning the Panay
must have received about a direct
hits. could not believe it was pos
sible for such small ship to receive
such damage and still float. was
informed later that the first bomb
which disabled me also put the for
ward three-inch gun and the radio
room out o. action and brought down
the foremast.
"At 1883 pm. the ship appeared
to be settling quite fast; meanwhile
before the engineer officer could reach
me to. give me report on the status
of our propelling machinery, Il heard
a sharp rush of steam escaping from
our steaming boiler. The engineer Of
f1cer. 1t. Geist, reported shortlySt there
after and said we could not get UNDER
way because the steaming boiler had
been ruptured. About this time some
one informed me that We appeared to