394.115 Panay/144: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
Shanghai, December 17, 1937—6
p.m.
[Received 11:30 p.m.]
[Received 11:30 p.m.]
1174. Department’s 653, December 16, noon.84 Following preliminary report from Atcheson.
- “1. U. S. S. Panay was bombed by Japanese planes shortly after 1:30 p.m., December 12 while at anchor in the Yangtze about mileage 221 above Woosung, 27 miles above Nanking with three Standard Oil tankers nearby: Steamship Meihsan [Meihsia] about 500 feet ahead; S. S. Meiping about 300 feet from the Meihsan [Meihsia] on latter’s starboard quarter; and S. S. Meian about 700 feet directly behind Panay. All vessels were flying American flags, the merchant vessels both fore and aft, the colors were painted horizontally upon Panay’s awnings and on superstructure of the three merchant vessels. The bombing was by at least six planes believed to have been light bombers using bombs of about 100 pounds in weight. These planes dived at the Panay in succession and at altitude of not more than 1,000 feet dropped a total of approximately 20 bombs with 4 or 5 hits and others falling close by. Most of the bombs fell at the port side forward with at least one on the starboard side forward. The first bomb hit the port bow, gave the ship a terrific jolt, and she began to list to starboard. Meiping was hit two or three times during this bombing and caught fire. It is believed that the two other merchant vessels were also hit.
- 2. Both the Panay and the merchant vessels were machine-gunned by the bombing planes, and persons on Panay and merchant vessels suffered machine-gun bullet wounds at that time. After the Panay’s Commander was incapacitated, we sent him and other wounded ashore in a ship’s boat. This boat was machine-gunned by the Japanese from [Page 506] the air during its journey and one man was wounded. After the Panay had been abandoned and was settling by the starboard bow two Japanese Army patrol boats came down river, machine-gunned the vessel with several bursts, boarded it for about 5 minutes and then departed. Panay’s flags were flying in plain view at this as at all times until vessel sank about 3:50 p.m. The patrol boats then started up river again and then turned back heading toward our landing point but we were hidden and they departed up river. Japanese planes soon appeared over us, however—a flight of three bombers: down river. The circling of one plane above the marsh reeds where we had concealed our wounded and ourselves and the previous action of the patrol boats, in connection with the incredible fact of the bombing of the Panay, gave us every reason to believe that they were searching for us in order to destroy the witnesses to the bombing. Meanwhile the burning Meiping headed first toward the north shore but because of machine gun fire turned toward south bank and eventually beached there. The Meihsan [Meihsia] followed the Meiping. The Meian remained along the north shore. When the Meiping came to the south bank about 100 Japanese soldiers appeared and ordered the ship’s company ashore and after questioning them ordered them aboard again. Almost immediately six planes appeared over the river and at low altitudes bombed both ships resulting in large fires on the vessels.
- 4. [sic] At dusk we moved wounded to farmhouses about 2 miles away where we improvised stretchers from bamboo beds, doors and a pig pen, and then proceeded to Hohsien 5 miles distant and 3 miles inland. This town had already been attacked three times by Japanese patrols. Next afternoon about 1,000 Japanese troops were reliably reported to have landed near where we went ashore and we decided to move further inland, but before night came Japanese planes circled time and again over the town flying at only 400 feet above the little thatched roof hospital where we had our wounded. Fortunately, the planes did not see us; one bullet in the thatch would probably have set the roof on fire and burned to death the 13 helpless wounded we had on stretchers there. That night we proceeded along a creek by small junks to Hanshan 20 miles inland with the object of proceeding to Luchowfu, where there is an American hospital, and the unwounded to continue on toward Hankow. Next day I learned by telephone from Hohsien that telephone messages I had sent to Anking the previous day had been relayed to the Ambassador, the incident had become known, and arrangements had been made for transportation to Shanghai under Japanese escort. We therefore returned to Hohsien to embark the night of December 14th on British and American naval vessels sent for that purpose.
- 5. The Panay is sunk in about 30 fathoms. The Meiping and Meihsan [Meihsia] are total losses.
- 6. Foreign casualties: two dead from Panay (storekeeper Ensminger85 and Italian journalist Sandri86 who died at Hohsien); Captain Carlson of the Meian, said to be an American. Wounded on Panay; Commander Hughes, broken leg; Secretary Paxton, slight shrapnel wound in left arm, water on knee and possibly shrapnel [Page 507] in that knee; Lieutenant Anders, shrapnel in throat and wounds in both hands; Gassie broken leg; Pickering of Standard Oil Company, scalp wounds; one naval seaman with bullet over heart who may die; seven hospital cases among enlisted men in addition naval wounded above mentioned; James Marshall of Collier’s magazine, bullet in neck; five other less serious wounded including Lieutenant Geist87 of Panay. Full description of wounds not yet available due to necessary preoccupation of ship’s surgeons with treatment of wounded.
- 7. Personal losses not yet compiled.
- 8. Repeated to Hankow, Peiping and Tokyo. Respectfully request that Department communicate to War Department for Roberts.”
Gauss