| A
letter received 9-96 (anonymous until author is located)
Dear
Ms. O'Hara - It has taken me 50 years to write you this letter.
My name is also Maureen and I am named after you. My father, Alexander,
was a solder during World War II and you were his pinup girl. He
was a solder that spoke Yiddish because his parents came from Russia nd
hew as Jewish. Because YHiddish was a form of German, he was asked to translate
documents in the concentration camps when the Allies occupied Germany and
opened up the camps. When he came home to my mother all he wanted to do
was put the war and all the pain behind him. He was shipped home
to Brooklyn, New York on June 8, 1945 and I was born in 1946. My
father told my mother that seeing your picture had given him the strength
to do what had to be done and come home to her. When I was born he insisted
on naming me Maureen in your honor. As a Jewish person the name Maureen
was quite unusual but my father insisted on the name. You have been
part of our family since the day that I was born. Whenever I see
you in a movie, especially the ones with John Wayne, I am so proud.
I was named after such a proud and beautiful woman. My father passed
away last year and I know that he would be very happy to know that I am
telling you this story. You gave him the fortitude during the war
and you have given me a beautiful namesake. Thank you.
7-23-98 Dear Mrs. Beck : I am grateful to you for the time and effort you have expended on your website of Maureen O'Hara. Absolutely delightful. As appropriate, I request you send the following to Maureen O'Hara. My copilot and I shared breakfast last week , bayside at the hotel Caravelle Christenstad, S. Croix. We watched the turboprop powered seaplane take off for St. Thomas, a flight we would be doing a few hours later in a Boeing 757. My mother and father are Welsh, both having served in the RAF during WW-2. Last year, I had to return to Wales, to deliver the eulogy for my Uncle Marcus. His mother, my grandmother, was named Bronwyn. She grew up in the Rhonda valley. They are buried in the Glyn Taf Cemetery, as is my grandfather, and great grandfather. My mothers maiden name was Jenkins. Years ago, I took my mom for a tour of Llantwit major, not far from Cardiff. We walked the green valleys. I was so very lucky. One of my favorite places is Frampton on Severn. It had the largest green in all of England. When i lived there in 1952, I could look out the front of our grand home, and see nothing but grass to the horizon. Upon returning in 1995, I realized that at 6' 2" I could clearly see the horizon, only some 300 yards away. I read with great interest the summary of General Blairs' life. I am no where as accomplished, yet I detected some striking similarities in our careers. I was trained as a navy pilot at Pensacola in 1968. I was on my way to join VP 7, then flying P3's out of Jacksonville, Fla. Instead I joined the navy's airline, VR 1 at Navy Norfolk, flying DC6's and brand new Sabreliner jets. They had the same wing as the f84. I never made a water landing, but I did accomplish 10 carrier landings. I never had to serve in combat. I became an airline pilot in 1972, and am now flying for (major American airline). That airline acquired a great many pan American pilots, and flight attendants. I now serve as a line check airman, teaching new captains and co-pilots how to fly the 757's and 767's. Years ago, I chanced to see 'How green was My Valley'. I called my mom, and shared the wonders of your movie. My mom confirmed the accuracy of your movie. Your movie meant a great deal to me. It filled in the gaps of my grandparents lives. What a surprise it was to find out the movie was filmed near Malibu. I went to high school near there, in Woodland hills. During my travels around Saint Croix, the locals told me about you. My driver thought he knew where you lived, and so i hired him to take me to your home. I wanted to meet you. I brought you four things. A tin of honey, some British chocolates, some cookies, and some Irish tea. I had hoped you Would be kind enough to receive me, and let me make you some tea. Luck was not with me, but I did get to see your house, and found out you hadn't been there in a year or so, what a great view! Two three bladed propellers lay at the sides of the gated driveway. I wondered about their history. I heard you weren't a recluse, and that an aura of majesty surrounds you . On my return leg to Atlanta, from Saint Thomas I shared the cookies with my flight attendants, some of whom were too young to know of you. I explained just who you are, and how Significant you are to the culture of America, and Ireland, and Wales. I have become a grandfather, and my four children and beautiful wife are all fine. Dare I ask, would you indulge this respectful admirer with a reply? I will bring you cookies , and tea. Anywhere, anytime. PS. I'll be checking out on the B-777 soon. General Blair would have loved to fly it. Flying, and the sea. What a combination! Maureen O'Hara, what a treasure! With great respect, Captain (Pilot)
This may sound corny to some people, but I will make it short. I left home when I was 16 and joined the Marines because of problems at home. At the time I never had a real mother or father so I picked myself one. I never told anyone until now and it has been over forty years. I never got a chance like this to tell the man who I picked as a father that I sure did thank him for being a good role model for a young boy and the many years of seeing him on the screen. Everytime I was in a tight spot or about to do something wrong, I looked to my adopted parents and said to myself "They would not like that" or I would say a prayer to them to help. That man was "John Wayne."
elegant. How privileged, indeed. 
Hi June!You certainly do deserve a lot of credit, not just dedicatedly
|
Maureen takes fencing instruction from master swordsman, Fred Cavens Movie is "At Swords Point" Back to Cover Page Back to Index Page |