Two Great Stories

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Two Great Stories - BOTH TRUE - and worth reading!

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 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 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 d 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 gage 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 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 calibers 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 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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banshie3by5

That is awesome...thanks for sharing. I'd seen the one about Easy Eddie, but not his son.

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corncob

Wow! I just love to read your contributions to this website! Whether it's a funny story, or as in this case, a true tale that not only inspires, but just puts a smile on your face! Thank you truly! Always a pleasure! Corncob

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