Two Stories -
Both True And Both 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 Capone's 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 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.
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 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 hopes 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 WHAT DO
THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?
Butch O'Hare was Easy
Eddie's son.
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. 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 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.
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 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 hopes 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 WHAT DO
THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?
Butch O'Hare was Easy
Eddie's son.
--
।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|
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