Somewhere in the South Pacific — John J. Gobbell

***MWSA SILVER MEDAL WINNER***Inspired by the true story of John F. Kennedy’s daring naval mission at the height of World War II, this historical thriller brings the unanswered question of the past to life with fast-paced action and vivid detail.After surviving a near suicidal mission on Mondo Mondo Island, Lieutenant Commander Todd Ingram is sent back to the States on a thirty-day leave—but the war waits for no one, and trouble is already rippling through the Pacific Theater.Fresh from Stateside training, Lieutenant JG John Kennedy takes command of the PT 109, a torpedo boat in desperate need of repairs, for the upcoming mission to retake the Western Solomon Islands. But the war isn’t the only thing on Kennedy’s mind: he’s torn between his family’s expectations and his forbidden love for Inga Arvad, a beautiful Danish columnist who narrowly escaped Nazi occupied Germany.When a disastrous attempt to interrupt Japanese supply lines slices Kennedy’s PT 109 in half, Ingram and his six destroyers must pick up where Kennedy left off. Can Ingram save Kennedy and his stranded men while defeating the Japanese? Ingram is prepared to fight to the end, but victory comes at a steep price behind enemy lines…In this 7th Installment, Todd Ingram reflects back on a simpler time, when he was on leave but the war was not. This is the story of what happened during his 39 day leave following When Duty Whispers Low, and takes place between When Duty Whispers Low and The Neptune Strategy._____________________“John Gobbell tells Navy tales like no other writer. Here, he combines historical facts, reasonable conjecture and authentic Navy culture and language to bring a new flavor to the epic story of PT-109, its famous skipper and the woman who captivated him. It is an enlightening and entertaining visit to the danger, discomfort and drama of the South Pacific at war.” —Admiral Eric Olson, U.S. Navy (Retired), Former Commander, U.S. Special Operations CommandFrom John Gobbell’s preface, to the last revealing page, Somewhere in the South Pacific is a riveting, entertaining, and historical page turner. This Todd Ingram series is well researched and an engaging must read.” —Howard G. Kazanjian, Executive Producer: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arc, and Producer: Return of the Jedi, The Rookie, Demolition ManOnce again, John J. Gobbell has added to his already solid reputation as a spinner of sea stories...taking the reader back to a time when the future president Jack Kennedy is in command of a PT-boat, fighting the Japanese and in love with an exotic and potentially dangerous beauty. A surprise ending will likely astonish his loyal followers... —Thomas J. Cutler, The Gordon England Chair of Professional Naval Literature, U.S. Naval InstituteI am more than impressed...John Gobbell knows what he writes about. This was one of the most difficult books to put down that I have read in recent years. So many great characters, each brought to life, whether real or fictional...whose recorded actions blend in with the fictional lives in the heat and humidity of the South Pacific during the largest and most intense naval war in history. —Terry Miller, Former Executive Director, Tin Can Sailors: National Association of Destroyer VeteransJohn Gobbell's rip-roaring tale of US Navy PT boats battling Imperial Japanese Navy forces in the Solomon Islands bursts with daring exploits by America's Greatest Generation, including a young John F. Kennedy. Gobbell's World War II novels are second to none in portraying the bravery, sacrifices, and human frailties of ordinary men and women during the best years of their lives. —George D. Jepson, Editorial Director, McBooks Press