XPost: alt.books.dean-koontz, alt.books.deryni, alt.books.isaac-asimov
XPost: alt.books.kurt-vonnegut
From: barryn@iprimus.com.au
I got 17, I thought that was pretty good for an Aussie.
Pauline
wrote in message
news:0q-dnfQc940cyKPWnZ2dnUVZ_uAAAAAA@giganews.com...
> 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 EACH OTHER?
>
>
>
> Butch O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's" son !!!
> Two Stories BOTH TRUE - and worth reading!!!!
>
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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