The Torch

The Torch is the story of two young draftees who survive the vicious early war in Vietnam, only to return home where one drifts into a life of crime and murder, and the other meets personal tragedy. Jim Orletti and Lou Pizzatelli arrive in Southeast Asia during the spring of 1964, initially approaching their assignment as an adventure. That is their first mistake. Unknown to them, the war in their area of northern South Vietnam is about to undergo an explosive escalation. The two friends are assigned to the U.S. Army advisory team in the city of Hue, precisely where North Vietnamese Colonel Bui Xinh is planning a major attack.

Much of the story involves the experiences Orletti and Pizzatelli share with fellow Americans Captain Ed Welch and Colonel Bill Carlin as they attempt to prevent Colonel Xinh, assisted by his loyal Sergeant Hahn, from defeating the South Vietnamese Army. The scene ultimately shifts back to the United States, where Orletti and Pizzatelli struggle to fit into a society that feels only apathy and hostility toward them. They soon realize that the future may hold something quite different from what they expected.

"Thanks for the copy of The Torch. I read and really enjoyed the first chapter - brought back a lot of memories.

I do think you have a talent, based on what I've read, and I wish you much luck."

Nelson DeMille

Best-selling author.