393.1163Am33/91
The American Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ugaki)
Excellency: Acting under instructions from my Government I have the honor formally to protest an unwarranted attack on June 15, 1938, by Japanese airplanes upon the American Southern Baptist Mission at Pingtu, Shantung, which resulted in placing the lives of two hundred school children and seven American missionaries in grave jeopardy and in wounding other noncombatants, and which inflicted extensive damage upon American property.
According to information received through the American Consul at Tsingtao:
The American Southern Baptist Mission at Pingtu reported that at 8:30 on the morning of June 15, with clear visibility and no wind, two Japanese naval bombers released two high explosive bombs, “number 260 kilograms” as shown by markings on scrap found directly over the mission boys’ school compound. Both bombs exploded doing extensive damage to the residence of the American principal and school buildings. One bomb struck less than fifteen feet from the principal’s residence and the second twenty five feet.
The boys’ compound is about one eighth of a mile south of the city wall and not closer to any possible military objective.
After circling, the planes returned over the same course and dropped two bombs about fifty feet directly west of the mission girls’ school compound which is closer to the city wall. Damage from concussion was done to buildings on this compound and adjacent mission property. The girls’ school was not in session. The boys’ school was having final examinations. Two hundred boys were endangered but escaped.
None of the seven American missionaries were injured but Chinese civilian women and children were injured.
Six American flags were flying on the compounds at the time of the raid. During the occupation of Pingtu this year by forces of the Japanese army, various compounds were visited by officers in command of detachments. Naval bombers have flown low over compounds on several occasions.
Acting further under instructions from my Government, I have the honor to request that the Japanese Government cause an investigation to be made of the circumstances referred to in the foregoing report and that I be informed of the results thereof at the earliest possible moment.
[Page 605]At the same time I have the honor to request that Your Excellency cause instructions to be issued promptly which will prevent the recurrence of similar acts.
I avail myself [etc.]