Two true stories that are well worth a read.

A friend of mine in the UK was in the Royal Navy many moons ago and he often comes up with a good tale. Matt Stoves is his name and he sent me an email last week with these two short stories and I just had to share them. Both are true.

Story Number One.

Many Years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. He was notorious for organising crime the windy city and was involved in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.

Capone had a lawyer nicknamed “Easy Eddie” and he was very good, and his legal manoeuvring kept ‘Big Al’ out of jail for a long time.

To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money good, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all the mod cons. The estate was so large that it took up an entire Chicago City block.

Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and he gave little consideration to the chaos that went on around him. He did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly, and Eddie saw to it that his young boy had clothes, cars, and a good education. He gave him everything.

Despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie tried to teach him right from wrong. He wanted his son to be a better man than he was. But for all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn’t give his son. He couldn’t pass on a good name and he wasn’t a good example.

He decided to change that, and he came up with a plan to rectify some of the wrongs he had done and clean up his tarnished reputation. He hoped this would prove he had some integrity and he could make his son proud.

To achieve this, he decided to approach the authorities and tell the truth about the activities of Al “Scarface” Capone. He knew that he would have to testify against The Mob, and he also realised that the cost would be great. But he testified anyway.

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 that was cut 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 and 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 realised 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, so his flight leader ordered him to return to the aircraft 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. There was a squadron of Japanese aircraft speeding toward the American-fleet.

The American fighters were gone on a sortie, so the fleet was left all but defenceless. 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. He decided that there was only one thing he could do, he had to somehow divert them from the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove straight into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 calibre guns blazed as he charged, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. O’Hare weaved in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent.

With nothing to shoot with, he dived at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hope of damaging as many enemy planes as possible. His plan worked and eventually, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction and a greatly relieved, Butch O’Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.

Upon arrival, he reported in and related the events 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 heroic action, Butch O’Hare, became the Navy’s first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Medal of Honour.

A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His hometown was determined not to 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 Honour. It’s located between Terminals 1 and 2.

Now, if you’re wondering what these two stories have in common, I can tell you that Butch O’Hare was “Easy Eddie’s” son.