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A moral lesson
in two stories
From a CNO reader
Editor Note:
According to Truth or Fiction, the following is true. Regardless – even
if it is a well-thought-out example of a creative mind… the moral is
worthy of note.
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 one another?
Butch O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's" son.
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