The Pacific Hotel

About the Book

This is a story about a hotel and the people who lived there, worked there, murders, a whole lot of money and me. This was my second tour in Vietnam and it turned out to be a long one but it wasn't by choice, the Army told me that the war just couldn't get along without me. Yeah Right. I had been flying down south with the 3rd and of the 5th Calvary Regiment, the Infantry Division supporting the Mobile Riverine Force in the Mekong delta when I "got Lucky". The 9th Infantry Divisions policy was wounded three times, you come off the line.

I was assigned to Long Binh Post as the acting Post Sergeant Major, not much of a job, units were pulling out and Long Binh was becoming more and more of a ghost town. It was the final days of Long Binh when I got my introduction into Vietnamese commerce, politics, the art of the pay off and the Army in Vietnam's unofficial policy of "cover your own ass, I'm going home."

Next stop, Nha Trang and the Pacific Hotel, where the real story starts. This story anyway. The Pacific Hotel is located on the coast of the South China Sea in Nha Trang. The war, though, was secondary to life in Nha Trang and the Pacific Hotel. Nha Trang is a resort town and operated like most resort towns any where in the world with it's hotels restaurants, night life and gift shops. Making an industry out of foreign tourists and vacationers, only, at the time of this story the tourists are replaced by the United States military and it's entourage of civilian employees and contractors.

Like all stories, it has to have a beginning, so I'll start this one in the bush, and then you will have some idea how I got to The Pacific Hotel. I hope you enjoy this story and I don't think it's one you've read before.

About the Author

Ronald Whitely is a writer of travel logs, topical articles and poetry. This is his second novel. He was born in Louisville Kentucky and is currently living in Brandenburg, Kentucky.

Ronald served two tours in Vietnam and U.S. Public Health service in Africa attached to the World Health Organization. Military awards include, Bronze Stars with "V" (4 awards), Purple Heart Air Medals, and Joint Service and Army Commendations Medals.