The action of the novel takes place in different locations in the United States and the Pacific as the characters move around. There are plenty of scenes in Washington D.C. at the White House, different military offices and the Foster Lafayette Hotel. Parris Island in South Carolina is the site of the Marine boot camp. Lakehust, New Jersey and various places in Florida are the sites of Naval Air Stations where several of the main characters go. San Francisco is where the home of Fleming Pickering is located and where many of the characters pass through on their way to and from the Pacific.