U.S
.iunboatlPaiiiiay
(Editor'! note: On Dee. 12. 1937.
ust 17 years aso, the Japanese
tombed and sank the American
gunboat VSS Panay in the Yangtse
river near Nanking. Three men were
killed and more than a dozen were
wounded in the incident which is
considered by many as the first shot
of World War II. United Press
Movietone newsreel cameraman
Erie Mayell, of Barlingame. Calif,
was one of the survivors of the
Panay and his exclusive photos of
the attack was one of the newsreel
scoops of the century. In the follow
ing story, Mayell gives his recol
lections of that dramatic incident of
history.)
By ERIC MAYELL
As Told to Uniled Press -
San Francisco (U.R) I
went oboard the USS Panay to
escape the rape of Nanking. An
American gunboat, plainly
marked with the stars and
stripes, seemed to be the safest
place around. I didn't know how
wrong I was until it was too
late.
It as Dec. 11 when, we went
aboard. In all there were about
a dozen passengers, including a
few American newsmen and em
bassy officials, a couple of Ital
ian correspondents and a Lon
don Times man. We were all
dirty and dead for sleep, and
as the Panay headed upstream
we thought we had left the
worst behind us.
Awakened by Explosion
I was napping on the follow
ing afternoon when it happened,
I recall that I was jarred awake
Vy a hell of an explosion and
felt the ship rock and shudder,
I grabbed for my camera and
ran out on deck.
The first bomb hit the Panay
just forward of the bridge and
wounded a number of men in
eluding . the skipper, Lt. Cmdr.
James J. Hughes, and the execu
tive officer. Lt. A. F. Anders.
Hughes was hit in the head
and legs and was semi-conscious.
Anders got shrapnel in his
throat, but he took over com
mand anyway. He couldn't speak
because of his wound, but he
wrote his orders to the crew on
paper.
Hit by Dive Bombers
The first bombs we're from
high altitude planes. But a min
ute later the dive bombers hit
us. They came wave after wave,
raising splashes around us with
light bombs and sweeping the
dack with machinegun fire.
One of the Panay's gunners
was caught in the shower and
he ran to man his gun wearing
only a towel around his middle.
I shot pictures of him firing at
the attackers until his old Lewis
gun jammed. Then I ran to the
other side and shot another gun
ner in action.
All I had with me were bits
and scraps of film, so I had to
keep running inside to change.
I was in the cabin switching
film when Sandro Sandri, one
of the Italian correspondents,
staggered in. He had been hit
in the stomach with a machine-
Employer Contributions
Practically Unchanged
During Coming Year
Salem (U.R) Despite near
record payments to unemployed
workers during the 1953-54 ben
efit year, the average tax and
contributions from employers
will be practically unchanged
during 1955, the State Unem
ployment Compensation commis
sion said Saturday.
. Preliminary computations just
completed show that the aver
age rate is expected to remain
close to the 1.1 per cent figured
for 1954 payroll taxes while
contributions probably will con
tinue at about 11 million unless
experience rating schedules are
altered materially by the 1955
Legislature convening next
month. Of the $23,430,100 paid
'to unemployed workers during
the year endeftl last June 30,
nearly 37 per cent was charged
against the pool, relieving indi
vidual employer accounts under
the experience rating system.
MATINEE 5 :30
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gun bullet and he was holding
the wound with his hands and
trying to keep his feet. He was
very white and he said, "Eric,
what shall I do?"
There wasn't much I could
tell him. I'd seen men wounded
like that before and I knew he'd
had it. He diei on shore 24 hours
later.
The Panay began to settle by
the bow and Lt. Sanders gave
the order to abandon ship. The
dive bombers were still coming
down to within 50 or 100 feet of
the ship, bombing and strafing,
but the men lowered the- boats
and removed the wounded as
calmly as though it were a drill.
Once ashore, wehid in the
reeds from the Japanese planes.
We saw a small boat filled
with Japanese soldiers approach
the Panay and fire at it with
rifles. When there was no re
turn fire, some of them went
aboard and looked around.
The gunboat sang at 3:54 p.m.
just two hours and 15 minutes
after the first bomb hit.
We carried the wounded in
blankets and made our way on
foot and by barge up a small
tributary to the village of Han
shan. It was a cold and frightful
night as we expected Japanese
patrols to come after us. But if
they did, they never found us.
At Hanshan we learned that
a British gunboat, the Ladybird,
was waiting for us at the river,
so we made our way back and
went aboard her.
It's a funny thing. I wasn't
particularly scared at the time.
But just talking about the inci
dent today scares me.
End in Sight for
Sheppard Trial
Cleveland, O. (U.R) De
fense and prosecution attorneys
agreed Saturday tnere was a
"stronff nossibility" the Shep
pard murder case may go to the
jury by the end of next week.
"We nlan to keen Dr. Shep
pard under direct examination
another half-day," Defense At
torney William J. Comgan said.
'Then we'll have some more
witnesses more than three but
less than 10."
John J. Hahon. head of the
nrosecution team, said he ex-J
pected to start nis cross-exam
ination of the defendant, ur.
Samuel H. Sheppard, Monday
afternoon. He would not indi
cate how long the quizzing would
last.
Both Hahon and Comgan
agreed the seven-man, five-woman
jury would get the case by
Friday, when the trial ends its
ninth week.
Ike Appoints New
First Army Chief
Washington (U.R) President
Eisenhower has promoted Maj.
Gen. Thomas W. Herren to lieu
tenant general and named him
First Army commander.
Maj. Gen. Claude B. Feren
baugh Friday was promoted to
lieutenant general and given the
post of deputy commander of
Army forces in the, Far East.
Both promotions are subject to
Senate confirmation next ses
sion. Rhodes Scholarship
Winners To Be Named
Spokane (U.R) t The
Northwest Rhodes Scholarships
committee met here Saturday to
select four college students to
receive the two year Rhodes
scholarships to Oxford univer
sity in England. The nine can
didates from the six states in
cluded: Robert S. Summers, Halfway,
Ore., and Kenneth Love, Lyn
den, Wash.
.1- tfiKl-tfM
pm Today
GATES OPEN
5 PM
a wooirr, voviT panic!
YkKHt PtKE Besfl UTHIOffi Hg
1 .
APPROVED Lili Kardell,
daughter of a Swedish band
leader, shows her happiness
after Los Angeles court ap
proved her Universal Studio
movie contract. She was
given contract when a mem
ber of visiting party of Prince
Axel of Denmark spotted her
on studio lot and commented
favorably on her appearance.
Double Amputee
Back at Hospital
For Skin Grafting
Charles Blackshear, Bend, was
readmitted Friday to Communi
ty hospital for skin grafts after
being dismissed from the hos
pital about two weeks ago. He
first was treated for the loss of
both legs as the result of a truck
automobile accident on North
Pacific highway while he was
working on the highway.
His father was working on the
same job and his mother arrived
soon after the accident from
Bend. They have been living at
722 North Riverside ; ave.
Another patient who has been
at Community hospital for some
time is Linda Bowen, 11, Gold
Hill, who suffered a critical back
injury in October.
The girl was injured when she
climbed a tree to get a kitten
which had. been in the tree for
about two days after it . was
scared by a dog. Though no one
saw the accident, according to
earlier reports Linda is believed
to have fallen from near the top
of the tree.
Knowles Held by
Hood River Sheriff
Hood River (U.R) Robert
C. Knowles was in the custody
of the Hood River county sher
iff Saturday following his re
lease Friday in Sacramento by
Federal Judge Sherill Halbert.
Knowles will face larceny
charges here in connection with
the theft of a car owned by Al
bert C. Stuarf, Wickenberg,
Ariz. Knowles pleaded guilty in
Federal Court in Sacramento to
stealing Stuart's car and driving
it across state lines. He also
told authorities in California
that he had murdered Stuart and
dumped his body in the Yakima
river in Washington. - He said
he buried the body in the Hood
River area.
He was questioned by Wash
ington authorities but they did
not take custody. Stuart has
been missing since last year
when his trailer house was de
stroyed by fire at Mosier, Ore.
The order releasing Knowles
to Oregon authorities stated he
would be returned to the juris
diction of the Sacramento court
when Oregon authorities had
completed . action.
West Coast To Receive
Ship Building Pacts
. San Francisco (U.R) Approx
imately $65,000,000 in ship con
struction "probably will come to
West Coast shipyards this year,
Congressman Thor C. Tollefson
! said Saturday.
The Washington Republican
told a news conference the West
Coast should be able to secure
in competitive bidding one
sixth of the . $400,000,000 ap
propriated last year by Congress
for shipbuilding. ,
Yule Decorations
Now at Museum;
Displays Planned
Jacksonville Christmas dec
orations were placed Friday on
the front entrance of the Jack
sonvHle Museum by Chief of Po
lice Frank Carter assisted by Ed
Coffman. "' - ''
A laree Christmas tree.
trimmed by Museum employees,
has been put up at the front
window of the quilt exhibit room
and several new displays have
been added, Mrs. Myrtle P. Lee,
curator said Saturday. A doll
display will be added shortly be
f or the Christmas .holidaysj and
other exhibits aire planned.
Closed Christmas Dav
The 'Museum will be closed
Christmas day, but through the
week regular hours will be ob
served, 1 to 5 p.m., on weekdays
and 12 noon to 5 D.m.. Sundavs.
The Museum also is scheduled
to be. open on New Year's day.
The newly arranged displays
include photographs of Joseph
Lane, territorial governor, Jo
seph Meek, first territorial sher
iff, and William Green T'Vault,
first territorial postmaster.
In the courtroom on the sec
ond floor, one showcase is de
voted to a display of old dish
ware and antique glass which
includes several pieces recently
added to the Museum objects.
Communion Set
Another recent eift to the
Museum is a heavy silver com
munion service which was the
first used at the Jacksonville
Presbyterian church after it was
dedicated Dec. 4, 1881. The serv
ice was a gift to the congregation
by Squire William Hoffman, who
arrived in the Rogue valley in
1852 and was active in forming
Jackson county government.
. The service includes two gob
lets, and was discarded after
individual services were used. .
Also on 'display is a tea serv
ice, a part of the Native Daugh
ters collection.
Limits on News of
Trials Gets Study
Portland (U.R) The Ore
gon Circuit Judges' association
Friday decided to put off until
next year a decision whether to
adopt a set of rules that would
limit news coverage of public
trials. .
A committee of iudses
brought out a set of suggested
rules which included prohibit
ing any photographing or broad
casting of trials. However, the
majority of judges refused to
accept it until their committee
on relationship of the press and
bench has a chance to discuss
conflicts between news media
and judges. -
Judge Howard K. Zimmerman
of Astoria" objected to a suggest
ed rule that jurors be polled. He
argued it places an unfair bur
den on jurors in rural commun
ities where they feel influenced
in their verdicts if they know
they will be publicly' announc
ed.
Dead line Sunday Classified is at
noon Saturday : 10 a.m. Mondav for
Monday; other days 5:30 previous day.
MAKE A DATE
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4-
HAPPY COUPLE Rep
resentative Harold Velde, Il
linois Republican, has a hug
for his bride, the former Mrs.
Dolores Anderson, after their
marriage at Baltimore. She
has been a staff secretary for
the House un-American ac
tivities committee, which
Velde head during the 83rd
Congress.
91 Attend CD
Rescue Schools
- Salem (U.R) Ninety-one
persons have attended' rescue
schools during the past two
weeks, State Civil ; Defense Di
rector Arthur M. Sheets said
Saturday.
The schools were conducted
in three cities by an engineer
ing and rescue team from the
Federal Civil Defense Admini
stration. The course in Eugene
was attended by 37 persons; Al
bany, 32; and the school in Port
land ending today had 22.
Purpose of the schools was to
train instructors in techniques
of heavy and light rescue work,
which includes such things as
tunnelling, shoring and breach
ing walls, surveying buildings
and handling casualties. Sheets
said every county has been re
quested to organize one mobile
rescue unit.
Accidental Gunshot j- j
Kills Portland Boy
Portland flJ.R) Carl Wil
liam Frey, 17, son of Portland
fire department Capt. Carl H.
Frey, accidentally shot and kil
led himself early Saturday while
duck hunting with two compan
ions at Fairview lake in subur
ban northeast Portland.
Deputy Sheriff Jack Elliott
said Frey was standing in the
water-when he reached into a
boat for his shotgun. The wea
pon accidentally discharged and
pellets from the shell struck him
in the neck.
The sugar pine is reported to
live more than 600 years.
NOW! Don't Miss It! I
TOO EAGER!
TOO INNOCENT!
and far, far
TOO WILLING!
4
Wednesday
Sunday, December 12, 1954
State Asks Prompt
Salem (U.R) The State
Traffic Safety division said Sat
urday it is developing plans to
get a prompt-roundup of' traffic'
accidents in -.Oregon -next Wed-:
- Sheriffs in all the country and
chiefs of police - throughout the ;
state have been- asked to report
accidents 'to the Salem' office by
the. fastest , possible ; means' so
they can be ; tabulated and in
cluded in the national survey.!
Even so," officials 'iaid; it may
take a bit longer to. get all acci
dent reports in. . A motorist has
24 hours in - which to file -an'
accident report, but for the pur-!
poses of the survey, anjr motor
ist involved in an accident on
S-D day- is urged to make his
report at once.-
; The-State Traffic Safety di
vision will prepare a running
Air Force Studying .
Foreign 'Saucers' ; ;"
Washington -(U.R) The Air'
Force is studying so-called "fly
ing saucer" sightings in foreign
countries as well as those re
ported in the United States. ' -! ,
A spokesman said Friday that
a "flying saucer" photograph
distributed by the United States
is being studied by the Air Tech
nical Intelligence Center at
Wright-Patterson AirForce Base,
Dayton, O.' .
The photograph, ."made at
Taormina, Sicily, showed Sic
ilians looking at two disk shaped
objects. It was made by Guiseppe
Grasso, a photographer who sup-'
plied the picture to the United
Press Rome Bureau.
TriE Last
sJam'ng
.Elizabeth
m Wfti ' CONTINUOUS ,
Walter PIDGEON Donna REED . "jfc
EVA GAB0R KURT
in-niJULIUS i & PHUT & EPSIEM and
. . (Mil RICHARD BROOKS
Aetdtmy Awarrf Stir
of "From Here To
Eterniry"
" Scores Again! 1 "
a,
Sietfitna,
WITH BULlETiRiDDLE& FURY!
Vv.- - -:-vVrv 'm -Jy-i ADDED : -;
UNLUCK DOG" Comedy O Musical Featuretf e O
FEATURE SHOWN AT: 1:1 5 3:28 5:41
MEDFORD (OREGON)
Accident Roundup
count of the accidents as they
are reported.
SHOWS START 7 P.M.
Ends Tonight
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71