Evening star., 1938-01-01

Inere are no ordinary words to q
that sensation Of defenseless fury
blind rage at being hit by something
at which you can't strike back. With
that rage comes terror If any one
who has ever been on the receiving
end Of an air raid tells you he didn't
feel just little bit empty in the pit
Of his stomach, Why don't believe him,
that's all.
Naturally, it is worse when. you are
on boat than if the planes loose their
thunderbolts at you on dry land On
the ground, you have chance to run,
even if it doesn't do you much good.
But in your mind is the consoling
thought that at least you have a
chance. On a boat you're fixed tar
get. like a rabbit fascinated by a
deadly snake. The plane can wheel
about and strike you when and how
It pleases.
Two Urges Battle.
Those Of us whom duty did not
place on deck sought what shelter We
could find in the officers rooms and
quarters" during the bombing. I was
torn between two urges, both Of which
were equally uncomfortable. One
would see me scrambling for the pro-
lection Of . companionway or shell
tered corner. The next second Id be
standing on the lurching deck. focus
ing my fllm finger on the swooping
bombers.
In the end. I found the open deck
preferable to crouching stance inside,
where the pounding sensation Of each
shell was almost unbearable to ear
and nerves. Several other passengers
seemed to be similarly affected. Per-
haps We who didn't hide in the Panay's
interior were Influenced by what we
saw happening What use to get be-
hind the protection of a boatside or
deck-wall that had been shattered be-
fore your eyes as the missiles burst?
Might as we'll stay there and take It,
Ofhcers and crew jumped to their
posts with q willing alacrity that
would have been discomforting indeed
to the Japanese avaitors had they
taken time to notice such details
And don't be misled by reports that
the retaliatory fire of our bluejackets
had no effect on the death-dealing
pilots who gunned their ships at us.
No sooner did our men aim their
Observation-Disclosures old and obsolete
Lewis machine guns-than the planes
Immediately quit the low dives which
had given them such dreadful accu-
racy.
Planes Fly TO Safety.
Our machine-gun bullets must have
been whistling unpleasantly close, be-
cause almost with the precision of a
circus ring-master giving an order,
the planes leveled out at respectable
heights instead Of brushing our mast
tops in their dives. That is, all but
the cleaning black monster which
dived in wave-skimming charge at
Old Glory As the Star and Stripes
huttered across the field OF my range
finder.
The picture that registered itself in
my mind 1T that moment shall never
forget. Dancing black dragons against
. sky a. blue and innocent as q baby's
eyes -. yet down from 1t fell steel
tears Of death. Tearing At us no
higher than our top cabins, and COM
ing lower and lower, that jet bomber
dropped In its screaming power dive
ats menacing shadow like a vulture's
wings darkening the sparkling wave
caps Of the shining Yangtse whose
waters the planes landing gear
seemed about to touch.
But the monster was right on us,
pouncing on the Panay and her nag
with horrifying speed. I had to drive
my feet against the deck with all my
power to stay with my camera as she
new at u. She was 80 big, 80 fast.
II you want to know what 1t felt like
10 b On the spot at the moment, Just
picture yourself In q narrow passage
way from which there Is NO escape,
facing . steel railway car flying at
you with 2oo-mile speed-not head on
but broadside, and at the level Of
your head, and then add the thought
Of al the passengers of that car shoot
ing at you from the windows.
Imagine that duty required you to
match your nerve against the nerve
Of those driving the car, gambling
whether they would smash into you
or finch at the instant Of impact If
you did not finch.
Bullets Smash Nearby.
Well, that's how felt. My mouth
was dry as q limekiln. Fire fiecked
from the SHOUTS Of the bomber. Bull
lets pinged against the cabin behind
me. The scales of paint as the lead
pellets tore through the thin walls
tcratched my cheeks. A tet OF air
ecross my scalp.
Ny hat was sons-shot al, I am-