JD Wetterling
Jack Bennett and JD Wetterling, 2005, brothers for eternity
Ensign John E. "Jack" Bennett, 1943, as WW II began
1st Lt. JD Wetterling, F-100 pilot, 1969, Vietnam War
Introduction to NO TIME TO WASTE: “All men are strangers,” declared Thomas Wolfe. Jack Bennett and I are proof he was wrong. Certainly in this competitive, postmodern culture close friendships among men are a rare thing. Rarer still, ours was a friendship between men of two different generations living at opposite ends of America, both on the backside of the demographic bell curve, and both called cultural curmudgeons by those who knew and loved us anyway. Most importantly, this is a true story of God’s grace from first to last in the lives of two combat veterans who could/can give no earthly explanation for their survival. The older man was a hero from the age of giants—WW II—when men went off to war and fought for the duration. As a young ensign just out the Naval Academy Jack lived through the Pearl Harbor attack while miraculously spilling only minimal blood. Eleven months later, aboard the heavy cruiser, USS San Francisco, he was wounded again but miraculously survived to play a key heroic role in the night action at Guadalcanal—“the most furious sea battle ever fought in history.” Then he survived countless close calls in five war patrols as a submariner—that elite “silent service” with the highest casualty rate of any branch of the military. He was awarded the Navy Cross, our nation’s second highest award for valor, and a chest-full of other medals for heroism. After a career as a nuclear sub commander he retired from the Navy and had a second and third career as a successful businessman and member of Governor Ronald Reagan’s administration in Sacramento, declining an offer to serve with him full-time in Washington, DC (his beloved wife was dying of cancer). I’m the relative youngster—a Presbyterian (PCA) elder—and I wield the pen. I flew 268 combat missions in an F-100 in Vietnam, surviving by God’s grace alone. When our paths crossed I was fifty-two and gregarious Jack was seventy-eight. He was a stoic widower in the autumn of his years, a towering intellect living alone but not lonely, actively involved with a wide circle of friends and interests, and without a clue as to God’s truth. For half a century he had been haunted by the “Why me?” of a combat vet who survived against all odds while friends died violently all about him, yet there was no discernable concern for the perilous state of his soul. When we became friends I felt a burden to raise his concern and, God willing, help him understand the greatest truth that could ever enter the mind of man. |
No Time to Waste
John E. “Jack” Bennett (USNA ’41) was a former Reagan staffer, career nuclear submarine commander, and twice-wounded WW II vet. At 78, he was a much-involved patriot with a brilliant mind but a lost soul. Author JD Wetterling, a Presbyterian elder a generation younger, was a fighter pilot with 268 combat missions in the Vietnam War. They became best friends. Then, in a heartbeat, it was war again, with eternal consequences that dwarfed their shooting wars, and there was “no time to waste.” ENDORSEMENTS: “…a gripping tale of a symbiotic relationship of two men from two different generations, who fought in different wars, who then were bound together by special circumstances separated by distance and time. Not only will you be moved by stirring accounts of horrific battles, amazing acts of heroism, and close calls on different battlefields, you will also be amazed by reflections that can only be fully appreciated and celebrated in the light of a backward glance at God's providence. But being saved from the battles of this world cannot compare with being saved from the grip of spiritual death. Be ready to marvel at how God's sovereign grace conquered the hearts of self-made, self-satisfied men, who then gladly submitted to their loving and mighty Savior. But there is also the riveting story of the transformation of Jack Bennett, from decorated warrior of his country to faithful soldier of Christ. You will not waste your time, but in fact, redeem it, by reading this book.” Dr. Dominic Aquila, President New Geneva Theological Seminary, Colorado Springs, CO “...things about this book (such as the unusual journaled format, the biographical thrust of the stories, and the powerful interwoven biblical truths) may speak for themselves or be addressed by others, but for me one thought was relentless through the whole. Sometimes the thought was accompanied with tears and sometimes with laughter, but always the thought ‘Thank you, Lord for your grace to and through these men.' Truly, they are like those of whom you have said, ...the world is not worthy...(Hebrews 11:38).” Rev. Mo Up De Graf Retired Administrator, Ridge Haven Conference Center and Retreat, NC “Whether the battle is military, cultural, or even theological, author JD Wetterling has a knack for keeping his readers' attention focused on the issues that really matter. Nothing dry or tedious here. It's a fascinating story of a fascinating man's fascinating discovery.” Joel Belz, Founder World Magazine Asheville, NC “I am so thankful that the author not only chronicled Jack Bennett's extraordinary military career, but also the painstaking way he led Jack to the Lord as he pursued the big ‘Why Me?’ Magnificent! This is a primer for soul-saving. Thank you.” Dr. Bob King Jack Bennett’s lifelong friend “I've read a lot of combat memoirs—this is a great one. I've read a lot of gospel stories—this is a great one. A two-fer!” Robert M. Frey, Attorney Jackson, MS “No Time To Waste is a riveting testimony to God’s grace and sovereignty as He uses similar wartime experiences to bring a WWII submariner and a Vietnam era fighter pilot together in a life changing relationship. JD Wetterling does a brilliant dance between his wartime narrative and his current experience in a way that allows the reader to relive those historical events and apply them to ‘Brother Jack’s’ appointment with his creator. The reader is allowed to peer into the heart and mind of a lost soul on the path to salvation in a way seldom documented before. As in his previous work, No One..., JD’s presentation of the gospel is clear, concise and biblical. You will find yourself rooting for Jack as you read even though you know the outcome ahead of time.” Dr. Dan Youngren Custer, SD |
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