394.115 Panay/127: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
Tokyo, December 17, 1937—7
p.m.
[Received December 17—10:05 a.m.]
[Received December 17—10:05 a.m.]
652. Department’s 347, December 15, 7 p.m. The Senior Aide to the Navy Minister this morning informed the Naval Attaché that:
- 1.
- Rear Admiral Mitsunami, commanding the Naval Air Squadron at Shanghai, has been recalled and has already arrived in Japan. (The Navy Department Press Section stated to foreign press correspondents that he has been relieved of his duties.)
- 2.
- About 20 naval planes were operating in the vicinity of Nanking during the afternoon of December 12 and probably six were involved in the attacks on the American ships. An investigation is being made to determine responsibility, among other things the aviators engaged there that day. Future action depends upon the results of the investigation.
- 3.
- Reuter’s despatch to the effect that a Japanese launch had machine gunned the survivors on the Panay and that the crew of the launch had boarded the Panay before it sank could hardly be the truth because it was not until Monday that Japanese naval vessels were able to reach even as far as Nanking.
Grew