Two stories....
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 p
ockets 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 real ized 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 m any 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 Congressional 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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