America 250 – Veteran of The Day

Charles Lee Ensminger

Storekeeper First Class

United States Navy
Died: December 13, 1937
USS Panay Incident

Charles Lee Ensminger

Before Pearl Harbor

Years before the attack on Pearl Harbor, tensions between the United States and Imperial Japan were already growing in Asia.

American naval vessels operated along the Yangtze River in China as part of the:

Yangtze Patrol

Their mission was to:

protect American citizens
safeguard commerce
and maintain a U.S. presence during the chaos of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

One of those ships was the USS Panay.

December 12, 1937

While anchored near Nanjing, China, the Panay and accompanying Standard Oil vessels came under sudden attack by Japanese aircraft.

Despite the ship displaying large American flags clearly visible from the air:

bombs struck the vessel
fighters strafed the ship and lifeboats
survivors attempting escape were attacked repeatedly. (Wikipedia)

The Panay eventually sank into the Yangtze River.

Charles Lee Ensminger

Storekeeper First Class Charles Lee Ensminger was severely wounded during the attack.

After abandoning ship with the crew and survivors, he later died from those wounds on December 13, 1937.

His death occurred:

four years before Pearl Harbor
four years before the United States formally entered World War II
during a crisis many Americans would later see as an early warning of the Pacific War to come.

The Panay Incident

The attack created a massive international crisis.

Japan formally apologized and paid financial indemnities to the United States, claiming the attack was accidental. (Wikipedia)

But many Americans never fully believed the explanation.

Newsreel footage filmed during the attack showed Japanese aircraft flying low enough that the ship’s American markings were clearly visible. (Wikipedia)

Reflection

Some moments in history arrive quietly before the world realizes what is coming.

Charles Lee Ensminger became one of the earliest American casualties in the growing storm that would soon engulf the Pacific.

Final Honor

The actions of the Panay crew under fire were later praised as being:

“in keeping with the best traditions of the naval service.” (Office of the Historian)

The Micky Spano Radio Show proudly honors Storekeeper First Class Charles Lee Ensminger, United States Navy, as an America 250 Veteran of the Day, remembering his service, his sacrifice, and his place in the history leading toward World War II.

Honor The Fallen | Support The Living | Teach The Next Generation