Oliver North

	In October and November 1986, two secret illegal U.S. Government operations were publicly exposed. In addition to naming other people as illegal operatives, the scapegoat of it all was Lieutenant Colonel Oliver L. North. Only months before he was being heraled in the New York Times as "President Reagan's Man of Action", and now North was being handed the blame of all guilty of illegally negotiating deals with Iran and Nicaragua. As the Iran-Contra Scandal was led into the national spotlight, so was Oliver North. But while in that spotlight, North pleaded the Fifth Amendment, the right to not incriminate yourself. With doing so, he also saved the reputations of many who turned their backs on him. For this and many other achievements, Lt. Col. Oliver L. North is an American hero.

	Oliver L. North was born in San Antonio, Texas. His age and date of birth are being withheld due to security reasons. He attended school in Philmont, New York and later enrolled into the United Sates Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. As graduation neared, North chose the path of being a Marine Corps leader. He was later called into duty in Vietnam, where he was station with K Company of the Third Battalion, Third Marine Regiment, Third Division from December 3, 1968 to August 21, 1969. During his service, North led many covert operations, and was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts. He was a "marine's marine", and was a one-of-a-kind leader.

	While in Vietnam, he was assigned to counterinsurgency operations in which he met General Singlaub and General Secord, then lieutenant colonels. After coming back from Vietnam, he served as a planner in the Marine Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C. After being promoted to Major in the Marine Corps, North led a detachment of Marines who were to assist the rescuers of the aborted mission to free U.S. hostages in Tehran. A little more than a year later, while North was studying at the Naval War College in Providence, he came to befriend Navy Secretary John Lehman. Lehman helped North get a spot on the National Security Council. Among several military officers sent to the National Security Council, North was the youngest. He was described as a "bright articulate officer with a gung ho spirit who saw the world in sharply etched blacks and whites." His role was to draw up plans, to get them approved, and to see that they are carried out.