Two interesting real life stories, read on,

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Two interesting real life stories, read on,

 

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 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

manoeuvering

 

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 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 USS 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.

 

 

Ramesh Gelli

Hyderabad. India

Phone: +9140 23547336