793.94/16755: Telegram

The Ambassador in China ( Gauss ) to the Secretary of State

319. During air raid this morning Japanese planes dropped bomb 8 yards directly astern of Tutuila. No casualties to personnel. Ship’s power boats badly damaged. Motor sampan cut loose from moorings and drifting down river. Apparently no underwater damage to ship.

During same raid some damage done to Embassy staff residence.

Sent to Department, repeated to Peiping, Shanghai, Hankow. Shanghai repeat urgently to Tokyo.50

Gauss
  1. For representations made by the Acting Secretary of State to the Japanese Ambassador at Washington and by the Ambassador in Japan to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, see Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, pp. 719 and 720. Locally in China protests were lodged with the appropriate Japanese consular or diplomatic authorities by the Consul General at Hankow, the Counselor of Embassy in China at Peiping, and the Consul General at Shanghai (793.94/16756, 16758, 16765).