We were close enough to see their unkempt beards and the tattoos on their arms. One of our machine gunners impulsively pulled his trigger. He must have been overflowing with feelings of animosity toward the enemy. But it was checked by a loud voice from the bridge saying, ‘Don’t shoot at escaping men! Stop shooting, stop!’ ”100 American survivors confirmed that the Japanese held fire, and one witnessed a Japanese skipper salute the Johnston as she went down.
