From a person named Shirley Winn:
Subject: 2 great stories
* *** Story number one *****
World War II produced many heroes. One such man was
Butch O'Hare.
He was a fighter pilot assigned to an aircraft carrier
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 Zeroes 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 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 finally all his ammunition was spent.
Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the
Zeroes, trying to at
least clip off a wing or tail, in hopes of damaging as
many enemy planes as
possible and rendering them unfit to fly. He was
desperate to do anything
he
could to keep them from reaching the American ships.
Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in
another direction.
Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his battered fighter
limped back to the
carrier. Upon arrival he reported in and related the
event surrounding his
return.
The film from the camera mounted on his plane told the
tale. It showed the
extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet.
He was recognized as a hero and given one of the
nation's highest military
honors. And today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named
in tribute to the
courage of this great man.
* **** Story number two *****
Some years earlier there was a man in Chicago called
Easy Eddie.
At that time, Al Capone virtually owned the city.
Capone wasn't famous for
anything heroic. His exploits were anything but
praiseworthy.
He was, however, notorious for enmeshing the city of
Chicago in everything
from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
Easy Eddie was Capone's lawyer and for a good reason.
He was very good!
In fact, his skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out
of jail for long
time.
To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well.
Not only was the money
big; 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.
Yes, Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and
gave little
consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.
Eddy did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that
he loved dearly.
Eddy 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. Yes, Eddie tried to teach his son to
rise above his own
sordid life. He wanted him to be a better man than he
was.
Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two
things that Eddie
couldn't give his son. Two things that Eddie sacrificed
to the Capone mob
that he could not pass on to his beloved son, a good
name and a good
example.
One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision.
Offering his son a good
name was far more important than all the riches he
could lavish on him. He
had to rectify all the wrong that he had done.
He would go to the authorities and tell the truth about
Scar-face Al Capone.
He would try to clean up his tarnished name and offer
his son some
semblance
of integrity. To do this he must testify against The
Mob, and he knew that
the cost would be great. But more than anything, he
wanted to be an example
to his son. He wanted to do his best to make
restoration and hopefully have
a good name to leave his son. So, he testified.
Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of
gunfire on a lonely
Chicago Street. He had given his son the greatest gift
he to offer at the
greatest price he would ever pay.
I know what you're thinking. What do these two stories
have to do with one
another?
Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie's son.