Oliver North's Biography

Oliver L. North is a combat decorated Marine, a #1 bestselling author, the founder of a small business, an inventor with three U.S. patents, a syndicated columnist, and the host of "War Stories" on the Fox News Channel. He claims, however, that his most important accomplishment is being "the husband of one and the father of four."

North was born in San Antonio, graduated from the U.S Naval Academy in Annapolis, and served 22 years as a U.S. Marine. His awards for service in combat include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and two Purple Hearts for wounds in combat.

Assigned to the National Security Council staff in the Reagan Administration, Colonel North was the U.S. government's counter-terrorism coordinator from 1983-1986. As such, he was involved in planning the rescue of 804 medical students on the island of Grenada, and played a major role in the daring capture of the hijackers of the cruise ship Achille Lauro. After helping plan the U.S. raid on Muammar Qaddafi's terrorist bases in Libya, North was targeted for assassination by Abu Nidal, the infamous terrorist found dead in Baghdad in August 2002.

North's award-winning combat coverage for Fox News while embedded with U.S. Marine and Army units during Operation Iraqi Freedom won international acclaim.

North is the author of Under Fire, One More Mission, War Stories - Operation Iraqi Freedom, War Stories: Heroism in the Pacific, War Stories III: The Heroes Who Defeated Hitler, and two novels, Mission Compromised and The Jericho Sanction. All of his books are New York Times bestsellers.

North is also the founder of Freedom Alliance, a foundation which provides scholarships for the sons and daughters of service members killed in action.