thought this a good one for the board..
two great stories..
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 atrocities 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 s
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.
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 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 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 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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