Butch O'Hare and Easy Eddie

Gaard

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
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This is probably BS but I thought it was a good read anyway. ;)

Subject: O"Hare & Easy Eddie



STORY NUMBER ONE:

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 bombers 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 weaved in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as any
planes as possible until finally all his ammunition was spent.
Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, 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 tattered 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 had
destroyed five enemy bombers.

That was on February 20, 1942, and for that action he 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 he was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His home town
would not allow the memory of that heroic action die. And today, O'Hare
Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man. So
the next time you're in O'Hare visit his memorial with his statue and Medal
of Honor. It is located between Terminal 1 and 2.



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 a 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 had to offer at the greatest price
he would ever pay.

What do these two stories have to do with one another?


Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie's son.