Evening star., 1937-12-25
Text of Navy's Panay Probe
Report Is Official One Submitted by Naval Court
of Inquiry.
Of Inquiry.

~. That at 1854 pm. the Panay,
shortly after the japanese boarding
party had left, rolled over to the star
board and sank in from Z to 10
fatnoms Of water, approximate lati-
tude 80 degrees A minutes 80 seconds,
north longitude lit degrees q min
utes east. Practically no valuable
Government property was salvaged.
%. That after the Panay survivors
had reached the left bank of the river
the captain, in view OF his own in
juries and the injuries and shock
sustained by his remaining line officers
ana the general feeling that attempts
would be made to exterminate the
survivors, requested Capt. F. N. Rob-
erts, U. S. A.. who was not injured
and who was familiar with land op-
erations and the Chinese language,
to act under his directions as his inn
mediate representative. Capt. Roberts
functioned in this capacity until the
return OF the Panay survivors on board
the U. S. s. Oahu on December IS,
1887, performing outstanding service.
"a. That Messrs. Atcheson and Pax
ton Of the United States Embassy
staff rendered highly valuable services
on shore, where their knowledge of the
country and language, coupled with
their resourcefulness and sound advice.
contributed largely to the safety Of
the party.
25 That after some so hours ashore,
during which time the entire party
suffered much hardship and exposure,
somewhat mitigated by the kindly as
sistance of the Chinese. they returned
and boarded the U. S. S. Oahu and
H. M. S. Ladybird.
Is. That from the beginning of an
unprecedented and unlooked-for attack
Of great violence until their final re-
turn, the ships company and passen-
gers Of the U. S. S. Panay were SUBJ
jected to grave danger and continuous
hardship. their action under these
conditions was in keeping with the best
traditions of the naval service.
~. That among the Panay passen-
gers Mr.. Sandra Sandri died of his in
juries at 1:30, December l3. Messrs.
]. Hall Paxton. Emile Cassie and Roy
Squires were wounded.
%. That early in the bombing at
tacks the Standard Oil vessels got
under way. Meiping and Meisha Sc
cured to pontoon at the Kalyuan
Wharf. the Meian was disabled ana
beached farther downriver on he
left bank. All these ships received
injuries during the first phases of the
bombing. Serious fires on the Meiping
were extinguished by the Panay Wis
iting party of eight men, who were
unable to return to their ship
20. That after attacks on the Panay
had ceased the Meiping and Meisha
were further attacked by japanese
bombing planes, set on IRE and de-
stroyed. just previous to this bomb
ing japanese Army units on shore
near the wharf attempted to avert
this bombing by waving Japanese
flags. They were not successful and
received several casualties. 1t IS known
that Capt. Carlson of the Mean was
killed and that Messrs. Marshall,
Vines, Pickering and Squires were
wounded. Casualties among the CHI
nese crews of these vessels were nu-
merous but cannot be fully deter
mined
30. That the following members O.
the Panay crew landed on shore from
the Meiping after vainly attempting
to extinguish oil and gasoline fires
on board: v. F. Puckett, chief ma
chinist's mate; j. A. Cranes, gunner's
mate. first class: j. A. Dirnhoffer,
seaman, first class; T. A. Coleman,
chief pharms cist's mate; j. A. Bon
kowski, gunner's mate. third class;
r. L. Borwing, electricians mate,
third class: ]. L. Hedge, fireman,
f1rst class. and w. T. Hoyle. machIn-
lists mate. second calss These men
encountered japanese soldiers on shore