ORD O'Hare Airport - The Story Behind The Name

STORY NUMBER ONE 

Dinosaur Skeleton in O'Hare Airport

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! 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. He trained his on in marksmanship and flying.  

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 the 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.   

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, and 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.   

 

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.  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.  Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. 

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 hometown 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.

 (Pretty cool, eh!)

More on Wikapedia

More about Butch O'Hare

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_O%27Hare

More about Edward "Easy Eddie" O'Hare

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_J._O%27Hare#In_popular_culture