Though Gerald Ford only served a short time as president, he managed to make at least one enemy. Sara Jane Moore. On Sept. 22, 1975, she approached the President with a revolver in her purse. As she reached in and drew it out, a quick thinking former Marine and Vietnam Vet named Billy Sipple lunged at her and grabbed her hand, deflecting the shot that could have killed Gerald Ford.
What does this have to do with DADT repeal? Well, Billy Sipple was gay.
It is a sad story what happened to him after that. Though he received a letter of thanks from the President, Sipple's life spiraled downward. News stories about his heroism included his sexual orientation, and his family who hadn't known previously reacted badly. That turn of events haunted Sipple for the rest of his life.
He died alone in his apartment in San Francisco with half-gallon bottles of bourbon and 7-Up nearby in 1989.
So next time someone starts going off about how unfit LGBT service members are, tell them about the heroics of Billy Stipple, a Marine who was discharged as "undesirable" because he was gay.
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