James A. Oliveri's The Torch follows Vietnam draftees from Hue to civilian turmoil

James A. Oliveri’s novel The Torch tracks two young draftees sent to Hue in spring 1964 as the Vietnam War escalates, then follows the men into difficult homecomings in the United States. The book draws on Oliveri’s own military advisory service and is aimed at readers with little knowledge of the war’s early years.

Why it matters: - The Torch centers the early years of the Vietnam War, a period Oliveri says has few novels written about it. - The book links battlefield service and postwar life, showing how war can reshape both military and civilian futures. - The novel spotlights draftees and advisory personnel who are often left out of broader Vietnam War fiction.

What happened: - James A. Oliveri wrote The Torch, a novel about two young draftees, Jim Orletti and Lou Pizzatelli. - The story begins with their arrival in Vietnam in spring 1964. - The two men are sent to a U.S. Army advisory team in Hue. - Oliveri drew part of the novel from his own military advisory service. - The book is available now through Amazon.

The details: - In Hue, the friends enter an escalating war they do not expect. - North Vietnamese Colonel Bui Xinh prepares a major attack. - Jim Orletti and Lou Pizzatelli work with Captain Ed Welch and Colonel Bill Carlin. - The Americans try to stop Xinh and his loyal Sergeant Hahn from defeating the South Vietnamese Army. - The advisory mission becomes the center of the novel’s action. - Oliveri says the battle for Hue captures the broader theme of the war in Southeast Asia. - Oliveri also highlights the conduct of American military personnel, including draftees, whom he views as highly capable despite their low profile. - The novel’s early-1960s setting is intended for readers with little or no knowledge of that phase of the Vietnam War. - The book combines combat scenes with a troubled homecoming.

Between the lines: - The Torch is not just a war story. It also examines what happens when soldiers return to a society that greets them with apathy and hostility. - The two protagonists take sharply different paths after Vietnam. - One turns to crime and murder. - The other faces personal tragedy. - Oliveri’s quote underscores the scarcity of fiction focused on the war’s early years, which may help position the novel as both historical and corrective.

What's next: - Readers interested in military fiction can get the book now. - Trafford Publishing is listed as the publisher. - Oliveri is available for review copies, interviews and additional information through BrightKey PR. - More information is available at Trafford Publishing.

The bottom line: - The Torch uses a Vietnam advisory mission in Hue to connect combat, loss and the unresolved aftermath of war.