CDR Butch O'Hare, Naval Ace

[mockingbird812]

I am passing thru Chicago on my way back to Phoenix this a.m. and I hope I never take for granted the terrific monument to one of this nation's favorite son's that I invariably pass by as I scoot from one terminal to the next. CDR O'Hare's story is incredulous. Good on you Butch!


P.S. Terrific USO at O'Hare btw!

[jeff morocco]

Sam, next time you're coming thru chicago, allow yourself an extra day and come visit !!! rockford to phoenix is real cheap too. im about 20 minutes from the airport.

[COPO 70 RS/Z28]

On February 20, 1942, Butch O'Hare demonstrated in real life, and when it counted most, the fighting skills he had mastered. The carrier Lexington had been assigned the dangerous task of penetrating enemy-held waters north of New Ireland. From there her planes were to make a strike at Japanese shipping in the harbor at Rabaul. Unfortunately, while still 400 miles from Rabaul, the Lexington was discovered by a giant four-engine Kawanishi flying boat. Lieutenant Commander John Thach, skipper of the Lexington's Wildcat fighters, shot down the Japanese "Snooper," but not before it had radioed the carrier's position. That afternoon Commander Thach led six Wildcats into the air to intercept nine twin-engine enemy bombers. In a determined attack each of the Wildcats destroyed a bomber and damaged two more. The ship's anti-aircraft guns finished off the rest. In the meantime, nine more Japanese bombers were reported on the way. Six Wildcats, one of them piloted by Butch O'Hare, roared off the Lexington's deck to stop them. O'Hare and his wingman spotted the V formation of bombers first and dived to try to head them off. The other F4F pilots were too far away to reach most of the enemy planes before they released their bombs. As if this weren't bad enough, O'Hare's wingman discovered his guns were jammed. He was forced to turn away. Butch O'Hare stood alone between the Lexington and the bombers.

O'Hare didn't hesitate. Full throttle, he roared into the enemy formation. While tracers from the concentrated fire of the nine bombers streaked around him, he took careful aim at the starboard engine of the last plane in the V and squeezed his trigger. Slugs from the Wildcats six .50-caliber guns ripped into the Japanese bomber's wing and the engine literally jumped out of its mountings. The bomber spun crazily toward the sea as O'Hare's guns tore up another enemy plane. Then he ducked to the other side of the formation and smashed the port engine of the last Japanese plane there.

One by one he attacked the oncoming bombers until five had been downed. Commander Thach later reported that at one point he saw three of the bombers falling in flames at the same time. By now Thach and the other pilots had joined the fight. This was lucky because O'Hare was out of ammunition. The Wildcats took care of several more bombers and Lexington managed to evade the few bombs that were released. It was an amazing example of daring and shooting skill. Afterward Thach figured out that Butch O'Hare had used only sixty rounds of ammunition for each plane he destroyed. He had probably saved his ship. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and awarded the highest decoration of his country, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

[427TJ]

I believe he was killed by friendly fire while while flying an F6F Hellcat during a night attack on Japanese bombers.

I am currently reading the 1962 book "The Big E" about the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier CV-6. Incredible accounts of the battles the E participated in and very well written. Available through Amazon. (I'm reading my dad's 1962 hardbound second edition.)

[COPO 70 RS/Z28]

There is still a lot of controversy about the incident, I doubt anyone will ever really know, but it looks that way.

[PeteLeathersac]

[ QUOTE ]

I am currently reading the 1962 book "The Big E" about the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier CV-6. Incredible accounts of the battles the E participated in and very well written. Available through Amazon. (I'm reading my dad's 1962 hardbound second edition.)

[/ QUOTE ]

I love seeing these postings and am always amazed at how many of us are here are into this stuff!.

A month or so ago I finished this book on the RCAF Bomber 6-Group called 'Reap the Whirlwind'...it was great!.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reap-Whirlwi.../dp/0947554351

Next to read is 'Behind enemy lines'...the story of Jim Moffat of the RCAF 427 Squadron..
Jim is alive today and I'm hoping to get in on one of his informal meetings he gives where he talks of his experiences..
http://essencebookstore.com/index.ph...roducts_id=917


We are the fortunate generation and owe so much to all these Vets!!!

~ Pete

[427TJ]

Pete, my dad was a WWII history buff and I got my interest from him. I remember watching the English series "The World at War" back in the early '70s and I now have it on DVD, as well as the 1953 "Victory at Sea" DVD set (less than 10 bucks!). One of the World at War episodes is titled "Whirlwind" and it begins with a magnificent shot of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster in full flight. I think it was Churchill who said that the Germans had chosen to sow the wind and so shall reap the whirlwind. The fire-bombing of Hamburg and Dresden and other German cities followed. Reading "The Big E" has gotten my interest in Pacific war history re-ignited and I have been locating WWII battle sites in the Pacific island chains on Google Earth. I even found one of the the bases used by the VMF-214 "Black Sheep" marine fighter squadron on Vella LaVella island--the runway is still visible! (They called it "Vella LaCava" on the 1976 TV show. They also called Espiritu Santo "Espritus Marcus." Marcus is a small island we re-took from the Japanese in early '42.) As a kid I loved the names of the Pacific islands: New Britain, New Georgia, New Caledonia, Santa Cruz, New Hebrides, New Ireland, the Solomans, the Caroline Islands, etc. The names sounded magical and conjured images of island paradises but in reality the battles there were terrible blood baths. My dad used to play his "Victory at Sea" record soundtrack and I still love to listen to that music. My dad even built me a 1/72 scale aircraft carrier--nothing fancy, just a place for me to land my 1/72 navy planes (Hellcats, Wildcats, Dauntlesses, etc.). Anyway, WWII history has fascinated me since childhood. Try locating battle sites and old bases on Google Earth--it's addicting! East Anglia in England is still FULL of now-unused WWII 8th Air Force bases, 9th AF bases, and many of the RAF bases. Just start surfing over the area and they start popping up. I probably placed 100 yellow push-pin locators on bases in East Anglia alone. Yeah, geeky but still fun and more importantly, fascinating. Something to do when it's too cold to be in the garage.

[COPO 70 RS/Z28]

How bout Victory at Sea!!!

I have the DVD set

[COPO 70 RS/Z28]

[hvychev]

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 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 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 TheMob, 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 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 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.


When I first saw this story I found it hard to believe so I e-mailed my friend and Capone expert Mario Gomes in Canada about this story. Here is what he had to say.

Mario is this true?

-Frank

Hello Frank,
Yes and no. Yes, Butch was Edward O'Hare's son. The problem with the story is they try to romanticize Edward O'Hare as sacrificing his life to turn against Capone. The truth is Mr. Edward O'Hare was an opportunist.He had made plenty of money with the Capone gang. He screwed over a gentleman who invented the mechanical rabbit that made the dogs run at the racetrack. Before Capone, Eddie had been a lawyer in St. Louis associating with many a gangster there.
He desperately wanted his son to get into the military academy (West point I believe). Butch couldn't make it on his own so Edward O'Hare decided to become an informant against the Capone gang in return for his son getting in the academy.His turning help get Capone behind bars.
The story makes it sound as if Eddie really cared about right from wrong and wanted to get rid of Capone and his ilk from society.
Edward knew the consequences and got what he deserved. He must have known what the Capone gang was about before making a decision like that.The Capone gangsters got him as a gift to Al right before he was released.
As far as Butch, I'd say he was the real hero.

Best regards,
Mario