After appearing in a television news story, Vietnam veteran Charles Bass decided to come clean about his service in that war.
If a Kenyan communist can be elected President what's the big deal about pretending to be a decorated Sergeant Major.
Posted on 07/11/2009 6:27:08 AM PDT by cbkaty
Houston native Charles Bass had told the story about how he survived a deadly snake bite in Vietnam so many times it seemed natural to tell it again, this time in front of a TV camera on the Fourth of July. He pointed at scars on his hand and the crook of his elbow, explaining how he'd stuck a hollow bamboo in the vein to stop the venom from reaching his heart.
The camera panned a display case full of his medals at the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum on Southmore Boulevard. A placard explained that Sgt. Maj. Bass had earned the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star for gallantry and Purple Hearts for his wounds.
Bass, in a rumpled fatigue jacket, seemed humbled by the attention. “I thank God that I endured what I had to endure for my country,” he said.
The story on Channel 2 KPRC that day was less than three minutes long, but that's all the time it took for nearly 40 years of lies to unravel.
Five days later, a tearful Bass apologized for his dishonesty — not only about the snake, but also the rank of sergeant major, Special Forces status, and all of the medals at the museum. He'd bought them in military surplus stores, he said, and forged certificates from forms he found online.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
After reading the entire story, it is so apparent that this person blames his father, his color, and anything else but himself for his crimes....his claims to medals he was never awarded.
A good book, Stolen Valor, covered this subject. A lot of victimhood in each story.
Joh Cary is that you?..... No wrong state!
nah...Ward Churchill....ex professor...
I personally saw cases in the Army where guys would show up in my unit wearing badges and tabs they never earned or went to school for and got caught. Despicable.
If a Kenyan communist can be elected President what's the big deal about pretending to be a decorated Sergeant Major.
This thief of valor donated his "purchased" medals to the Buffalo Soldiers Museum in Houston....
I thought Ward Churchill was an Indian Chief,...oh well.
Bass said he enlisted in the Army and deployed to Vietnam in 1969. He returned to the U.S. a year later, pained by post-traumatic stress and disillusioned by the prejudice he says was within his unit.
The usual excuses......
Kin of jon carry.
His search has been vain. He is trying to steal valor...which he can never do...and manufacture honor out of lies. Sorry, that dog will never hunt.
These statements could be quite true as far as they went.
But why would he masquerade as having accolades from a system he despised? Maybe he did it to try to show how seemingly bogus the system was.
Well, he remembered to blame racism, but he forgot to blame Bush and global warming. Guy makes me want to puke.
Bush and global warming were after his day, which would have been more characterized by global cooling.
Many years ago I found a VN vet about to pawn his medals in a store. I waited until the guy gave him a price — a ridiculous one. The I stepped in a offered the guy four times what the shop was offering. He took my offer and I made a big deal of getting his name, address etc - for my business records. One of my associates followed his life for a few years. Then we employed him in one of our businesses near his home when we had an opening. After a year I showed up and presented him with his medals in a case as a one year service to the business award. He worked for us until we sold out the business about three years ago and was a solid mid level manager. He just needed a break. Guys that claim medals are the lowest.
He is a disgusting P.O.S.
What hs is really saying is that he is the victim in this charade.
Expect to see him in the front line at a King Obama campaign speech soon, crying and weeping about being victimized by Bush.
So what happened? I can imagine the look on his face when you handed his medals back.
By the way, serious kudos. Well done. That beats just having a yellow ribbon on your car to hell and back.
Just your one action cancels out thousands of @$$holes like this fake.
.....I guess this fellow had fallen on real hard times.... I have all my Dad's medals and they are priceless..... I and my family would starve to death before I would give up his service medals and Purple Heart.
Great story! What a contrast...
....anybody who’s ever served in the Army knows a CIB is quite worthy of respect in and of itself...Bass’ DD214 shows he got one and he should have let it go at that...I notice that’s what’s on his ball cap too.
Without a doubt!
What few ribbons and such I ever had I had actually been awarded. I would have never done anything like that.
This pantload should spend the rest of his life in jail.
‘Hope you asked to see his DD-214.
Same here. I have a set of orders for every single thing I earned. I just couldn't live with myself otherwise.
No marryin only STAYIN in Houston’s Fifth Ward.
Bravo. That is really all I can say. What a great deed.
In the 11th ACR back in the early 70s we got a new Corporal assigned to our Troop. He was a picture perfect looking soldier but had a nasty habit of putting his nose in Sergeants' business. He undertook to marry the daughter of the Regimental Sergeant Major which was his undoing. Corporal F. had a pay problem - was being paid as a PVT E2. The Sergeant Major, fixing the problem for his soon to be son in law, discovered that Corporal F. was in fact PV2 F. and had forged his orders. Appropriate action was taken. Yes, there is a God.
Agreed..... Sadly he now hangs his head with the weight of his own dishonor.
Concerning guys showing up new to the unit with chests full of dubious medals, badges, ribbons: I saw it too, nobody bothered to check. Active duty people.
By the way, my step-father recieved his Bronze Star just last year, that he earned in the Korean war. He's 79 years old. He knew he was cited but just never got the medal until then. The first I or my brothers and sisters learned about it was last year and we have known him for 35 years.
I read the citation and tears came to my eyes. Maybe prejudice on my part but I was thinking, this conduct should have been at least Silver Star stuff.
The good news is he finally admitted his guilt...if he had only STFU at that point....but no, he had to string it out and blame his upbringing, Dad, discrimination...etc...BLABLABLA....
None of his pleadings account for his attempt at stolen valor.
Cuff him Dano!
I’m glad to hear he finally got his medal.
My dad served as a sniper for 3 years in WWI..he was wounded twice in the battles around Hill60 and decorated for bravery..they read the burial service over him twice and fetched his mother to his bedside..but he survived.
After discharge from hospital he tried to find work as a welder..for two years he got up every morning at 5am and went and stood outside the factory gates hoping to be selected for a days work. Usually he came home empty handed.
One day he came home and threw all his service medals in the garbage..my mom told me that this was the only time she ever saw him cry!
Gee John Kerry did the same thing with his Viet Nam medals, but was a better liar.
My father fought Vietnam. When he returned to the US, he kept his medals in a draw and rarely talked about his experiences. His closest friends didn’t know he had earned 2 V-devices until he passed away a few years ago.
Most vets I know don’t talk about the war.
Remember Admiral Boorda? He’s the one that was caught with fake v-devices and committed suicice. Let’s see if Charles Bass follows in Boorda’s footsteps.
....”The truth shall find you out.....”
Ron: 4 Gs : God, Guns a Garden and Gold....EXCELLENT ADVICE.
What a fine thing you did. I hope much kindness is returned to you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.