North to veterans: Stand proud

Oliver North told veterans at a North Platte event to stand tall and go on with their lives despite the current terrorist threat.

NORTH PLATTE -- Through laughter and drama, retired U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North told a group of Nebraska Veterans to stand proud and continue with their lives despite the ongoing war on terrorism.

North was the keynote speaker at the Veterans Expo 2002, Nebraska's Veteran's-America's Best in North Platte on Saturday.

"Not one of us will forget what we were doing Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001," North told the group. He then described his own activities that day.

Past meets present as Murlin Krizek of McCook exchanges a military greeting with his former boss, General George C. Patton, portrayed by Jim Deken.

North was aboard Northwest Airlines flight 238, departing Detroit at 8:45 a.m. and heading for Reagan International Airport, he said. "At 9:53 a.m., as flaps were down, wheels were down, coming down the Potomac River, trying to land at Reagan, another aircraft was coming rapidly up over the rise from the south of the city, making a hard right turn. "It just cleared Washington Boulevard, clipped off two light posts, sent pieces into a police car and slammed into the west of the Pentagon, instantly killing 192 people."

At that moment, the first casualties of the first war of the 21st Century died under that plane, the told his audience.

America will win that war, North told his audience, because its citizens have figured out they can't count on the government to do it all.

"American's know we still have entities of our government which aren't working right. Like the INS -- which stands for 'I'm Not Smart,'" he said to laughter and applause.

"For every action there is an equal and opposite branch of government," North joked.

On a more serious note, North told the audience, the problems are being fixed.

Another reason Americans can have confidence in winning the war on terrorism is that instead of worrying how bad things are getting, they try to make them better.

North said every American has a duty of reassurance, help and support to their country.

"The best thing we can do to help win the first war of of the 21st century is to continue with that duty," North instructed the audience.

In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, North said, "It was said uncommon valor was a common virtue. In America today, I know it still is."

North also entertained the group with stories of his news career as the host of War Stories on Fox News Network, which airs Sundays at 7 p.m.

The audience also was treated to a performance by Jim Deken as Gen. George C. Patton and a presentation by Charlie Plumb, a prisoner of war during the Vietnam war.