Life's Clock

It's Only Wound Once

Now is the Only Time You Really Own

The previous page was: "Jenny's Side Party"

Many years ago Chicargo was controlled by Al Capone, he virtually owned everything that made money in Chicago. Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic; but he was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything illegal from bootlegged booze, prostitution, gang warfare and murder of anybody who stood in his path.

He didn't usually put his finger on the trigger and pull it but he employed gangsters who would do anything he asked of them for a cut of his money.

He ruthlessly controlled the biggest and most viscious gang that Chicargo had ever seen; he had his friends shot to gain control of their patch and either attended or sent flowers to their funerals.

Capone was wise he equiped himself with a slick lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was Capone's lawyer for a good reason Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill at legal manoeuvring was brilliant and kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.

To show his appreciation, Capone paid him exceptionally well; not only was the money big, but Eddie was provided with 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 atrocities that went on all around him.

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His money couldn't buy respect

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 very 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 person 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 respectability or give him a good name to be proud of.

Easy Eddie felt these were the two most important gifts that he could pass on to his son; if he really loved him; and he did. Money was looked on as a dirty word unless it had been passed down through the generations and nobody could remember how it was really gained.

Money had become meaningless it no longer had any signification because Easy Eddie had more than he or his family would ever require. But he did have one need, and that was a good name for his son and respect. These two kept nagging him; he searched for a means of getting these two items whatever the cost was then he was prepared to pay it.

Decision time for Eddie

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision he wanted desperately to rectify the wrongs he had done. He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al "Scarface" Capone.

He had decided he was going to 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 what the consequences would be, the Mob would get him. But, for his son's sake he would testify against all of them.

Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a dark 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 another just when the hands will stop. Now is the only time you own; Live, love and toil at your will. Place no faith in time for your clock may soon be still."

Chicargo did produce heroes

However the story does not end there althought some time had elapsed Chicargo has produced heroes to be proud of as well as the gangsters of old. And one particular hero from the windy city has the O'Hare airport named after him for his gallantry in the air.

As we all know 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 USS Lexington while they were serving in the South Pacific.

One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission and only after Butch was airborne, when he looked at his fuel gauge he realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank.

He reported that he would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and was ordered to return to his ship. His flight leader told him he had to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, Butch dropped out of formation and headed back towards the fleet.

Enemy aircraft heading for the fleet

While he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold; a large squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet.

The American fighters had gone on a sortie, and without aircraft 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 act now somehow he had to divert the Japanese aircraft away from the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes with his Wing-mounted 50 calibre’s blazing as he charged in, attacking the surprised enemy firing at one plane and then at another. Butch wove in and out of the enemy who had now broken formation. He fired at as many enemy aircraft as possible until all of his ammunition was finally spent.

Undaunted with his prospects he continued the assault. Butch dived down at the planes, trying to clip their wings or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy aircraft as possible, or rendering them unfit to fly. Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction.

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Congressional Medal of Honour

Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back and on to the aircraft 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 whole 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's clock stopped when he 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.

The respected pilot Butch O'Hare with Chicargo airport named after him was "Easy Eddie's" son.

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