The Sand Pebbles?
The story is quite a bit different but I always wondered if the “Panay” was the inspiration for “Sand Pebbles” which was a very good movie.
Same River, different time period.
My first thought too.
The Sand Pebbles was the nickname for a fictional gunboat, USS San Pablo. All gunboats in the Navy were named for islands. The movie dramatized the Yangtze Patrol during the period just before World War II, but the movie does not include the evacuation on Nanking and the attack on the Panay.
“Hello boat” was that the line?
Wandered into Warensburg on a day off from grading nukes at Whiteman AFB and sat through two showings of the San Pebble and realized no red blooded American male could handle an ax a shovel or firearm like Steve McQueen.later I’d add cars and women to that list.
Yes I have a man crush. I’ve dealt with it.