Total Japanese bombing of the American gunboat Panay at Nanking was carried out during a period of good. visibility and occured at som times at heights only 100-200 feet above the clearly marked decks of the ship, according to the report made to the Navy Department by the Commander of the Panay, Cmdée, J. J. Hughes. Japanese planes jaiso_machine-gunned the decks of the Panay and Japanese river craft fired on the fatally damaged American warship on which a number of Americans and other foreigners were killed or wounded, the report "The Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Claude Swanson, authorized publication of the wounded Panay commander's report to the Navy Depart ment in which the bombing of the American ship was said to have continued for nearly an hour.
Cmdr. Hughes gave evidence that the Panay carried horizontal United States flags on the forward top deck and the after top deck. Each fag, he reported, was 18 by 14 fect size and freshly painted. The Panay also flew a large ensign from her fog-staff day and night, he reported. All flags, both vertical and horizontal, were brightly illuminated throughout the night, the report said.
'The Panay, according to Cmdr, Hughes, was' anchored before—the Japanese attack in an open space on the river easily visible for miles on every side, The look-out first reported the Japanese bombers approaching at a hhelght of 4,000 fect, but they came lower before the attack which began bout 127 pam. and continued until 225 pin, Cmdr. Hughes reported. Japanese Navy markings were clearly visible on the attacking planes, he added,
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