The Greatest Generation Of Americans

On September 20, 2016, members and guests of the York-East Rotary were informed and superbly entertained at their Tuesday morning breakfast meeting by noted author and storyteller, Del Staecker. In his presentation, entitled "Lessoned Learned From The Greatest Generation," Staecker drew upon his experience in writing two award winning books, “The Lady Gangster” : as well as “ A Sailor's Memoir and Sailor Man: the Troubled Life and Times of JP Nunnally, USN”, which recount the exploits of two dissimilar heroes serving aboard the USS Fuller during World War Two. He weaves his considerable knowledge of history (his major at The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, and in graduate school at University of Puget Sound) with the interviews and research conducted to write his two World War II memoirs into riveting, fast-paced, educational and entertaining stories.

 

Staecker reviewed events leading up to the war and explained the prevailing mood of the country, which was strongly anti-war and isolationist.  In his depiction of how the veterans of WWII became the greatest generation, he reviewed how many reluctant servicemen were joined after Pearl Harbor by enthusiastic volunteers, with both groups then embracing the difficult and often horrific tasks of war.  Staecker proposed that through hard work and diligence to their duty, the veterans concluded the war, returned home in humility, and built the country we know today with a respect for spiritual values.    Staecker’s many awards for writing include the recently received the 2015 Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America and Life Fellow, Royal Society of Arts, London, UK. Following a brief Q &A session, Staecker signed copies of his books, which are available online at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.