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."

Now I have a chance to tell the lady who I picked as my mother how much I love her (If I may use the word), but I do.  I want to thank you all for the hours of enjoyment I have gotten from your films and all the joy of looking at your picture and thinking maybe my mother might have been a person like you  If only I had the words to tell you how I feel and how much I thank you for just being yourself, a grand lady.  Thank you.
      Ernie

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3-16-01
I watched a televised Arts and Entertainment Biography of a couple of nights ago.  Although I have never written a "fan letter" before, I decided that age 44 was not too old to start, and here I am.

As I watched the biography special, I felt such respect for Maureen's strong sense of values and empathized as she deal with some difficult losses.  I think that Maureen represents the best of us humans - strong, principled, bright, and caring.  The fact that she was and still is absolutely beautiful, is yet another gift.

If Ireland had a Queen, it would be Maureen O'Hara. Thank-you for entertaining us and being a wonderful role model at the same time. 

Lynn

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  - Some wonderfully descriptive comments from fans -

Hi June - You certainly do deserve a lot of credit, not just dedicately updating your website
with dynamic innovations - really love the changing pics on the cover page! - but most importantly
for sharing so much when it would be very easy to hoard and hide the treasures you possess.  You
have given the world and many new fans for the future generations a positive role model and leader
among women to look up to.  Few mere mortals male or female, living or dead, combine so many
talents, abilities and qualities that make them seem superhuman and unlimited.  There really are heroines
and goddesses living in the flesh among us, and you renew our hope for the continued late arrival of the
she-knight who is the dreamer and the dream!