The Washington times., 1937-12-24

clear Of this firing and signalled
the convoy to follow at 8:43 a. m.
, At 9:40 a. m, having resumed
our journey with the Panay at
the head of the column, fol-
lowed in the order named, by
the Meiping, MeiShia and Me
ian, two groups of Japanese
soldiers were sighted on the left
(north) bank. They waved
hand flags at the Panay and
seemed to want to communicate
with us.
JAPS BOARD SHIP
Accordingly the Panay hove to
and japanese armed tender
came alongside carrying Lieut..
Sheseyo Murakami and about
80 men, most of whom were
armed with machine guns. Lieu
tenant AnderS, my executive Of
ficer, met this officer at the
gangway as he stepped on board
accompanied by his sword bearer
and two privateS with fixed
bayonets.
Lieutenant AnderS informed
me that the officer desired to
speak to me, so turned the
conn over to Lieutenant Anders
and went to the gangway.
Lieutenant Murakami asked
, me where the Panay was going
and I said to a point up-river
% miles from Nanking. He said
why are you going there" To
which I replied, "To keep clear
Of artillery fire" He asked me
about the three merchant ships
and I informed him they were
American ships under my pro-
lection.
His next question was about
the Chinese troops holding SOL
idly, to which said that the
United States was friendly to
both Japan and China and
therefore I could not give him
any information about the Chi
nese army. This conversation
was witnessed by Second Secre-
tary Mr.. George Atcheson, jr., Of
the American Embassy, Nanking,
China. Lieutenant Murakami
then invited me to repay his
call ashore, which invitation I
respectfully declined. At 9:53
a. m. the Japanese tender cleared
the side.
TRIP RESUMED
"At 1854 a. m. the Panay re-
sumed her way up the river. At
II a. m. I anchored the Panay
at a point 20 miles up river from
Marking and about 221 miles
above WooSung in q broad open
space in the river. My reason
for anchoring there was simply
to keep out of the way of the
contending armies. This loca-
tion seemed highly desirable. We
were easily visible, especially &C.
companied as we were 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 select
ing this spot I had in mind pri.
marily 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
personnel. Immediately upon
anchoring I posted sentry look
outs for airplanes and troop
movements. At 100 p. m. I
allowed a party of about eight
men to visit the Meiping near
by. These men were still on
board the Meiping when the at
tack started and were therefore
unable to return to the ship.
At about 1927 p. m. the look
out called Gown that two planes
were in sight, altitude about
four thousand feet. The weather
was clear with good visibility
and no wind. The planes were
clearly visible in spite of their
altitude in a direction towards
us.
GOES TO BRIDGE
About this time went up to-
the bridge with Chief Quarter
master John Lang in order to
keep a better lookout for further
plane approaches. About 1929
p. m. I looked out the door Of
the bridge to pick up again the
two planes I had originally seen
and was astonished to dicover
that both were rapidly losing
altitude which may not have
been as high as reported to me
a that time. I had no idea
whatsoever that the planes in
tended to attack us.
Almost Immediately they ap-
peared to go into power dives.
Almost Immediately q bomb
seemed to strike directly over
our heads ripping a big hole in
the roof Of the bridge.
I lost consciousness for what
must have been only q minute
or two; when I came to I dis
covered 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
also had been broken in the
deck of the bridge near where
Lang and I had been standing.
I asked Lang If he was in.
jured to which he replied 'No,
SIR Not being able to determine
the extent of the damage from
the inside Of the bridge, which