He repeated the account, already known, how the first bomb struck the Panay, injuring him, how. he /was carried to the gallery and from there heard the Panay's machine-guns firing and realized that the crew was carrying on under the directions of Executive Officer, It. Arthur F. Anders.
"The first group of planes dive bombed from a considerable altitude, which kept them beyond the range of the Lewis guns," he said in his report. "Later" when' the Pandy was visibly smashed, they came much closer and not only'let go with their bombs "from low altitudes—perhaps. 100 to 200 fect—but machine-gunned the deck.
"I distinctly heard their yuns which have a different soud from. the Panay's. According to my reckoning, the Panay received about 24 direct hits. T did not believe it was possible for such a small chip to receive such damage and still float."
Rescue Attempt Folted Cmdr. Hughes said that one of the merchant ships attempted to come alongside the Panay and take off its personnel but the bombing prevented it, He observed that it should be remembered that the attacking planes concentrated almost all efforts on the Panay during at least the frst half When it was decided to abandon ship, T ordered "wounded removed The report revealed that Cmdr. Hughes was placed in the first boat leaving the Panay by several members of the crew despite his protests. He pointed out that there was no, Panic at any time and: that orders:
Jeut, A. F. Anders showed great courage and perseverance in_main-{sining the fire from all our machine= guns although he was badly wounded almost immediately in the throat, later in the arm and both hands. Came. Hughes said. "I have complaint against the conduct of any officer, enlisted man or passenger, Everyone acted with fine courage and initiative—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.