[SOC] Fw: History Lesson

[Rob Mathery]

----- Original Message -----
Subject: Fw: History Lesson

History is dull only in its presentation. Read the following two stories
together. You should find this piece of history very interesting.

World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lt. Commander Butch
O'Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to an 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 mothership, he saw something that turned his blood
cold. A squadron of Japanese bombers was 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 he could do. He must somehow divert them
from the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dived 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, weaving in and
out of the now broken formation, fired at as many 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 to 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 cameras 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 WWII 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 his courage of this great man.

So the next time you are in O'Hare visit his memorial with his statue and
Medal of Honor. It is located between Terminal 1 and Terminal 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, Easy 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 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 them 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 a good 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.

I know what you're thinking. What do these two stories have to do with one
another?

Well you see, Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie's son.