I never heard this before
Someone sent me this today
Never heard this before. Quite amazing!
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.
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.
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 hope
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 WHY WERE THESE TWO STORIES PRINTED TOGETHER?
Butch O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's" son !
Last edited by waynieZ; 04-17-2015 at 12:58 PM.
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