STORY NUMBER
ONE
Many years ago, Al
Capone virtually owned Chicago . Capone 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 Capone's 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 Eddie
got special dividends, as well. 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 Chicago City block.
Eddie lived the high
life of the Chicago mob and gave little 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 to be a better man than he was.
Yet, with all his
wealth and influence, there 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 Chicago Street. But in his
eyes, he had given his son 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 Lexington in the South
Pacific.
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 was speeding its way toward the American
fleet.
The American fighters
were gone on a sortie, 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, 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 his 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 win the Medal of 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 Chicago is named
in tribute to the 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.
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