Two Great Stories - BOTH TRUE!
STORY
NUMBER ONE
Many
years ago, Al Capone virtually owned
wasn't
famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy
city
in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
Capone
had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was his
lawyer
for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill at
legal
maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.
To
show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not
only
was the money big, but also, Eddie got special dividends. For
instance,
he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help
and
all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it
filled an entire
Eddie
lived the high life of the
consideration
to the atrocity that went on around him. Eddie did have one
soft
spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that
his
young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was
withheld.
Price was no object. And, despite his involvement with organized
crime,
Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son
t o
be a better man than he was. Yet, with all his wealth and influence,
there
e were two things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a
good
name or a good example.
One
day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie
wanted
to rectify wrongs he had done. He decided he would go to the
authorities
and tell the truth about Al "Scarface" Capone, clean up his
tarnished
name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity.
To
do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he
knew
that the cost would be great.
So,
he testified.
Within
the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of
gunfire
on a lonely
the
greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay.
Police
removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a
religious
medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine. The poem read:
The
clock of life is wound but once,
And
no man has the power
To
tell just when the hands will stop
At
late or early hour.
Now
is the only time you own.
Live,
love, toil with a will.
Place
no faith in time.
For
the clock may soon be still.
STORY
NUMBER TWO
World
War II produced many heroes. One such man was
Lieutenant
Commander Butch O'Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the
aircraft
carrier
One
day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he
was
airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had
forgotten
to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to
complete
his mission and get back to his ship. His flight leader told him
to
return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and
headed
back to the fleet.
As
he was returning to the mother ship he saw something that
turned
his blood cold: a squadron of Japanese aircraft were speeding their
way
toward the American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a so
rtie,
and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his
squadron
and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn
the
fleet of the approaching danger.
There
was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them
from
the fleet. Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into
the
formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber's blazed as he
charged
in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch
wove
in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as
possible
until all his ammunition was finally spent. Undaunted, he
continued
the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail
in
hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible and rendering them
unfit
to fly.
Finally,
the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in
another
direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter
limped
back to the carrier. Upon arrival, he reported in and related the
event
surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on h is
plane
told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to
protect
his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft.
This
took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action
Butch
became the Navy's first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to
be
awarded the Congressional Medal o f Honor.
A
year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29 .
His
home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero
to
fade, and today, O'Hare Airport in
courage
of this great man.
So,
the next time you find yourself at O'Hare International,
give
some thought to visiting Butch's memorial displaying his statue and
his
Medal of Honor. It's located between Terminals 1 and 2.
SO
WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?
Butch
O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's " son.!