In part of what would become known as "The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" one night in November 1943, Japanese and American fighter aircraft wheeled upon each other in the darkness. He only saw the aircraft ahead of him for a second. Nervously he fired into the dark and with great regret an unknown American pilot shot down Lt. Commander Edward "Butch" O'Hare, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor.
O'Hare died in a hail of .50 caliber machine gun fire. Machine guns took the life of Edward˙s father too. "Easy Eddie", ex lawyer to Gangster Al Capone, turned police informant. He was gunned down on a Chicago street by the mob he was helping to destroy. Eddie wanted so much for his son to have a crime free life. That was the factor that turned this shady, wealthy crook from his career of crime. This decision made him enemy #1 of his previous business partners. For Easy Eddie the price of love for his son was high. There˙s no greater expression of love than to lay down your life.
Butch O'Hare knew the price of love. He became a naval fighter pilot. Roaring from the deck of the carrier Lexington in a Grumman F4F Wildcat he headed for an appointment with lethal danger. The ship had just been under attack from 9 enemy bombers. Between a previous flight of scrambled fighters and the ship's guns they survived unscathed. The 6 fighters spread out in search of the next wave of aggressors. O'Hare and his wingman spotted the 9 incoming twin engine bombers. By then the other 4 fighters were too far away to help with the interception. Circumstances deteriorated further. The wingman disengaged with jammed guns. Edward took on the enemy under heavy fire. The odds were against his survival. He kept up the attack downing 5 of the Japanese aircraft before other US fighters arrived. A few bombs plumed the sea around the Leington but the last assailant was sent fireballing into the waves without damage to the carrier.
"Lucky break" some say, but for his courage and good shooting Butch was promoted to Lt. Colonel and decorated. The Medal of Honor acknowledged that he risked all to save his comrades. Amidst an incoming hail of fire from the menacing bombers, a profusely perspiring O'Hare held his own life cheap against the success of his mission. Today Chicago may not remember Easy Eddie but his son Edward˙s name lives on. O'Hare airport is named after him. You'll find his memorial between terminals 1 and 2. Late one night in a garden just West of Jerusalem a young man perspired in combat too. His sweat fell like drops of blood. His fight was soon to be waged with all the forces of evil that stand between a fallen humanity and their Creator God. There came a moment of no return. It was reached when Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, child of the Virgin Mary overcame His natural abhorrence of the pain of death and the filth of humanity˙s sins for which He was soon to die. From that moment of yeildedness He was already a dead man. In love He laid down His life. Months before Jesus said: "No greater love has any man than that he lay down his life for his friends".
Today our world may not remember His sacrifice, but you can be His
memorial. Somewhere between the terminals of an airport or between the
desks where you work your life can testify that relationship with God
through Jesus Christ makes all the difference. Perhaps in His name you
will lay down your selfishness and live a life of blessing to our world.
Love isn't about your preferences. Love is when you think "Others."