The Darlac Hotel

When I arrived in August of 1966, the USAF MACV team, consisting of 8 members, had recently moved from the Bungalow to the Darlac Hotel.  There was not enough room for all of us (the site had a compliment of 56 people, when up to strength), and there was no place for us at the site.  So, we basically took over the Darlac.  By stateside standards, it was a dive. But, it beat the hell out of living in a field tent.  The hotel was supposedly owned by Madam Lee and had the only "on limits" bar in Ban Me Thuot.  I think that it was "on limits" because the bar was on the 3rd floor of the hotel, making it damn difficult to lob a grenade in the door.  There were 8 or 10 hostesses working in the bar.  They came and went throughout the day and so some of us got to known them as more than just hostesses.  For the most part they were a real hoot.  The girls giggled a lot and thought we were pretty "funny", as in odd. 

I recently heard from Sid Cowan, NCOIC of the Air Police detachment that he put in a 2nd tour at Pyramid.  By then the detachment had moved out to BMT City Field.  He went by the Darlac and said that it was run down even more than when we were there and that Madam Lee and the others we gone.  He also heard a rumor that Madam Lee's husband had been killed during the Tet Offensive.

NOTAM

To see a large view of the photo, double click on it.

The Darlac Courtyard	Rec Room At the Darlac Hotel
Rec Room 2	Ken Strahm Air Policeman guarding the entrance to the hotel.
Rapozzo Shakin'em Down	Crew Rest Me, one of the Pack Rats, Henry Beauchamp, and Leroy P. Houghton. Taken in the spring of 1966, very near the end of my tour. Contribued by the Webmaster.
Being Searched at the Gate	On the Roof On the roof of the Darlac hotel Looking toward city field. "GUNSITE Bravo" during a mortor attack. We would spot flashes and vector gunships to target. From Left to Right UNK Airman, SSG Joe Rabe, SSG UNK. Contributed by Joe Rabe.
Madam Lee The diminutive Madam Lee, owner of the Darlac Hotel. She was the most imposing "short person" I think I've ever known. She ruled the hotel, bar, and us (most of the time) with an iron hand.	Lei Thi Hoa Contributed by Joe Urban
Co Hum	Co Wan
	White Mice National Police, aka "White Mice" on guard across the street from the Darlac.
Waifs Unfortunately, we saw a lot of kids like these.