SS Richard Montgomery Matter
TWO GREAT TRUE 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 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 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 also 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 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 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
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.
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 calibre'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 Honour. 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 Honour. 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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