Oliver North

Oliver North was a leader in the Marines.

He fought in a big war. He won many awards for his brave work. Later, he had some trouble with rules. This was part of a big news story.

He spoke to Congress about it. A court later said he was not in trouble. After his time in the military, he worked on TV. He told stories about wars on a show.

He also wrote books about history.

Oliver North was a leader in the U.S. Marine Corps.

He was born in Texas in 1943. He served as a soldier during the Vietnam War. He was very brave in battle. He won many awards, like the Silver Star.

Later, North worked for the National Security Council. This is a group that helps the President. He was part of a big news story called the Iran–Contra affair. He helped sell weapons to Iran. He used that money to help rebel groups in Nicaragua. This was against the rules set by Congress.

North had to testify before Congress about his actions. He was first found guilty of some crimes. But a court later changed that decision. All charges against him were dropped in 1991.

After the military, North became a TV host. He had a show called "War Stories."

He also wrote books. In 2018, he was elected president of the National Rifle Association. He left that group in 2019.

Oliver Laurence North is a well-known American figure.

He has had many different jobs over his life. He was a leader in the U.S. Marine Corps. He also worked as a political commentator and a television host. He even wrote books about history. His life has been full of big events and important decisions. Many people know him because of his work in the government.

North grew up in New York after being born in Texas.

He attended the United States Naval Academy in 1963. He faced a hard time when a car accident injured his back and legs. He even showed boxing videos to doctors to prove he was strong enough for training. After graduating, he served as a platoon commander in the Vietnam War. He was very brave during a battle called Operation Virginia Ridge. Because of his courage, he earned the Silver Star and the Bronze Star.

In 1981, North began working for the National Security Council in Washington, D.C. This group helps the President make big decisions. He worked as a deputy director for political and military affairs. During this time, he helped plan the U.S. invasion of Grenada. He also helped look for people after a bombing in Beirut. However, he became part of a famous event called the Iran–Contra affair. This was a political scandal that happened in the late 1980s.

This scandal involved a secret plan to sell weapons to Iran.

North used the money from those sales to help rebel groups in Nicaragua called the Contras. This was against a law called the Boland Amendment. Congress had said the government could not give money to those groups. North was part of the group that moved the money secretly. He later admitted to shredding some government papers about this plan. In 1989, he was convicted of three crimes related to these actions.

His legal battles lasted for a few years. In 1990, a court decided his first convictions should be reversed. This happened because of rules about how he testified before Congress. Finally, in 1991, all charges against him were dismissed. After leaving the military, North found new ways to work. He hosted a show called "War Stories" on Fox News for many years.

He also served as the president of the National Rifle Association starting in 2018. He resigned from that role in 2019.

Oliver Laurence North is an American political commentator and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel.

He is perhaps best known for his role in the Iran–Contra affair. This was a major political scandal during the Reagan administration in the late 1980s. North served as a staff member on the National Security Council. This group provides advice to the President on matters of national security. His career has spanned military service, government work, and media hosting.

North was born on October 7, 1943, in San Antonio, Texas. He grew up in Philmont, New York. He attended the United States Naval Academy and received his commission in 1968. Before graduating, he suffered serious back and leg injuries in an auto accident. One classmate was killed in that accident. To prove he could handle training, North showed medical officials films of himself boxing. He had even won a middleweight championship match at Annapolis.

During the Vietnam War, North served as a platoon commander. He participated in a combat mission called Operation Virginia Ridge. During this battle, his platoon faced heavy machine gun fire and rocket propelled grenades. For his actions, North received several high honors. These included the Silver Star and the Bronze Star Medal with a Combat V. The Combat V is a device that shows an award was earned for valor in combat.

In 1981, North joined the National Security Council in Washington, D.C. He worked as a deputy director for political–military affairs until 1986. During this time, he helped plan the U.S. invasion of Grenada. He also worked on efforts following the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing. This bombing killed 299 American and French military personnel. North also managed missions involving the hijacking of the Achille Lauro.

The Iran–Contra affair involved a secret and illegal plan. The U.S. government sold weapons to the Iranian regime through intermediaries. The goal was to encourage the release of American hostages held in Lebanon. North formulated a plan to divert the profits from these sales. He used the money to support the Contra rebel groups in Nicaragua. This was illegal because of the Boland Amendment. This law prohibited the use of U.S. funds to support the Contras.

North's involvement led to a high-profile legal battle. In 1987, he testified before a joint congressional committee. He admitted to misleading Congress and shredding government documents. He claimed he did this to protect the goal of aiding the Contras. In 1989, North was convicted on three felony charges. These charges included aiding and abetting the obstruction of a congressional inquiry. However, his convictions were later reversed on appeal.

The court reversed the convictions due to issues with his immunity. North had been granted limited immunity to testify before Congress. The court found that this testimony might have affected the trial. In 1991, a judge dismissed all remaining charges against him. After retiring from the Marine Corps, North moved into media. He hosted the show "War Stories with Oliver North" on Fox News from 2001 to 2016.

North also entered the world of politics and organizations. In 1994, he ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Virginia. He lost the race to Chuck Robb by a margin of 2.73%. Later, in May 2018, he was elected president of the National Rifle Association. He held this position until April 27, 2019. He resigned following a dispute with the organization's chief executive, Wayne LaPierre. He was succeeded by Carolyn D. Meadows.