Evening star., 1937-12-24

be in danger of being run down by
one of the merchant ships. I got Mr..
Paxton. to carry me to the door of the
galley, and from what could see I
supposed that the vessel was attempt
ing to come alongside the Panay, prob
ably to take of our personnel About
that instant another storm OF bombs
fell both on the Panay and the mer-
chant ship. The latter then aban-
doned her attempt to help the Panay.
1t should be remembered that attack
ing planes concentrated almost all
their efforts on the Panay during at
least the first half hour.
Ordered Ship to Be Abandoned.
by 2 pm. it seemed unlikely to
me that I should be able to save the
ship. About 2;02 Ensign Biewerse
returned and said he thought we
should abandon the ship, especially
as he thought the Job would take
some time with only two small boats.
Accordingly, I gave the order to
abandon ship and to start by sending
the worst wounded ashore first. Boats
containing only wounded except for
the boats crews, Chief Boatswain
Mate Mahlmann and several of the
crew that had not been injured. They
came to the galley to put me in the
| first boat. I protested against leaving
the ship at this time, and was most
unwilling to do so, but it appeared
that they did not heed my protest
because of my condition. With Mr..
Paxton's assistance they carried me
down to the deck and laid me fiat on
my face across the bow Of the motor
sampan.
Il tald Ensign BieWerse to tell 1t.
Anders and the other officers that if
the attack should cease I wanted
Ensign Biewerse to remain on board
with small detail of about six un-
injured men to do what they could to
keep the ship from going down and
that in any case, Ensign Biewerse
and his detail were to be the last to
leave. knew at that time that Ensign
Biwerse was the only uninjured officer.
although suffering from shock and
had had most of his clothes blown
OH and believed that It. Anders and
1t. q. g. Geist were sufficiently in
jured to justify their leaving the ship
before the last boatload. After ar
irving on shore I was informed both
the motor sampan and pulling sampan
had been machine-gunned by the
attacking planes Sometime there
after I heard the sound of a motor
launch in the river close to where
we were hidden in the reeds. The
launch stayed in our vicinity few
minutes and then left. I cannot say
whether or not they attempted to
search for us because I was keeping
my men out of sight and had deliber-
ately left no debris on the beach by
which We could be traced Shortly
afterward a second launch passed.
Merchant Ships Bombed.
About this time the planes started
bombing the merchant vessels At
2:25 pm. they ceased bombing the
Panay altogether 1t was while they
were bombing the Panay that two of
the merchant vessels were able to
get underway and beach themselves.
With only two small boats available,
1t took many return trips to take all
the personnel oil the ship. Starting
at 2:05 pm, We completed the opera
tions at little after pm. Some time
before the ship sank heard the rattle
OF machine guns and was informed
that an armed japanese boat was
firing on the Panay I was subse-
quently informed that this boat had
put several men on board who re-
manned only few minutes and then
left. was shortly informed that the
ship sank with her colors still flying
at 1854 pm, turning over to star
board.
While on board the roar of the
bomb explosions and the pieces of
debris flying around made 1t i'm
possible to keep any written record Of
the various hits, the damage sustained,
or the injury to personnel.
There was absolutely no panic.
The orders I gave were carried out
exactly. The ship had the normal
Yangtze gunboat general quarters
station battle bill places where all
are stationed at start of battle). We
had special details for air defense,
which involved using only our machine
guns
THE hull had many holes when
abandoned and was shipping water
rather rapidly. It would have been
impossible to get the ship underway
to beach her because her steaming
boiler had been ruptured.. 1t. Anders.
my executive officer, with great courage
and perseverance maintained the fire
OF all our machine guns, although he
had been badly wounded almost i'm
mediately in the throat, and later in
the arm and both hands. He was able,
however, to keep his feet and main
tanned active charge.
"As already mentioned, I had my
men abandon ship in the order of the
worst wounded. First sent the boats
to the nearest land, which was covered
by high reeds. told the men that
after they reached the beach they
were to get inshore and hide in the
reeds without, however, getting too
far separated. After getting all the
men OH the ship and on the beach
we found two Japanese planes flying
fairly low overhead, apparently looking
for the Panay survivors. The reeds,
however, apparently afforded us suf-
ficient cover to remain unseen. These
planes subsequently departed, but
shortly later bombing attacks were
made ON the two merchant vessels
which were by now beached or the
bank opposite us. The third merchant
vessel had already been sunk by
bombs.
I'VE were On an Island. 1t. Arthur