Public Information

The story is about two years in the life of a very young man, Wylie Cypher, who joins the Army in 1952 expecting to be trained in the Russian language and finds himself in Korea while the conflict is raging. He experiences the war and its aftermath as a correspondent for an Army Public Information Office near the 38th parallel and as a reporter for the Stars and Stripes in Tokyo. Wylie travels widely, both physically and metaphorically, and interacts with a broad range of indelible characters. There are, among many others, Shit Dad Rowe, a cajun philosopher; Colonel Warfinger, who organizes a house of ill repute; Auntie Soo, a murderous businesswoman; Lieutenant Butz who bravely withstands Chinese torture; and Amelia, the red haired love of his life. He experiences combat, finds adventure and love under unusual circumstances, and is exposed to many aspects of the “Army way.” It is an intimate retelling of the “forgotten war,” with humor, passion and keen insight. You won’t forget Wylie, and you will enjoy seeing him grow up since there is a bit of Wylie in us all.