STORY 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 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
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 the best of
everything: 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 and 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 would ever pay.
STORY 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 their 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 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 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 hometown 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’s the connection?
Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie's son.
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