Charles Bass: Hero or Phony

[BFISA]

http://www.click2houston.com/video/19952983/index.html

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Scroll down to Man lies about Military Heroics

http://www.click2houston.com/video/19952983/index.html

Kudos to reporter Alana Gomez Dong for pursuing this story after some friends of mine contacted her.

[BFISA]

His medals aren't real, but his search for honor is

Wracked by guilt, local veteran admits deception on his war record

By LINDSAY WISE

Copyright 2009 Houston Chonicle

July 11, 2009, 12:10AM


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.

“It's a hell of a load off my shoulders,” said Bass, 66. “It's pressure off me. Things that needed to be said for a lotta, lotta years.”

Under the Stolen Valor Act, people who lie about military awards and citations can face up to six months in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000. If the violation involves a top decoration awarded for valor in combat — such as the Distinguished Service Cross or Silver Star — the penalty doubles.

Doug Sterner, a military historian from Colorado, estimates about 50 cases have been prosecuted since 2006, when the act became law. Sterner maintains a Web site that lists recipients of top military awards.

He said Bass' deception is particularly egregious because of the prestige of the medals he claimed and the fact that he duped a museum into honoring him with a permanent exhibit.

“I've seen these cases, and they go on and on for years because it goes against our grain when we see a decorated veteran to question them,” Sterner said.

At his East Houston home on Thursday, Bass ushered a Chronicle reporter into a small study decorated with American flags and faded photographs of himself in uniform. He pointed out a rucksack, helmet and combat boots he says he wore.

Then he closed his eyes and tried to explain.

Bass said he grew up poor in Houston's Fifth Ward. His parents divorced when he was 10 and he went to live with his dad. “I guess I cramped his style,” he said. “There was a lot of pressure. He dogged me out a lot: ‘You never amount to nothing, you ain't about this or you ain't about that.' ”

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.

On his way home, Bass said, he bought some ribbons in a military supplies store, just to make his uniform look a bit more impressive.

First, he told a few tall tales to his family, to make them proud. Then to fellow veterans, for respect. “For a while I was talking about it so much I was actually believing it myself,” he said.

Questions raised

No one ever questioned him until the Channel 2 story aired. After a local Vietnam veteran couldn't find Bass' name on Sterner's Web site, he raised concerns with Paul Matthews, executive director of the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum.

Matthews asked Bass to produce his discharge papers for verification. The document showed Bass had served in Vietnam as a private from 1969-70, earning a Combat Infantryman Badge, but no Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Stars, Bronze Stars or Purple Hearts. Army officials say it will take at least a week to verify Bass' service.

Matthews immediately removed Bass' exhibit.

Now Bass says he's too embarrassed to leave the house. “I ain't been able to sleep. I ain't been able to eat.”

He said he knows what he did was wrong. And he knows that telling the truth means he'll have to stop fighting imaginary battles and confront his real demons.

“Some 58,900 some people were killed in Vietnam,” Bass said. “I'm supposed to be on that Wall (the Vietnam Memorial). You have survivor's guilt. It eats me up. So it's like I'm trying to tell their stories, the brave men I wanted to be like. I'm trying to honor these people, but I'm dishonoring them. I understand that now.”

lindsay.wise@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/6524197.html

[BFISA]

Vietnam veteran admits his war heroics fabricated


Vietnam Vet Charles Bass came to regret making up stories about his service in the war.



By Lindsay Wise - Houston Chronicle

HOUSTON — Charles Bass had told the story about how he survived a deadly snakebite 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. Major Bass had earned the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Hearts for bravery and gallantry.

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,” the Houston native 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 the medals at the museum. He'd bought them in military surplus stores, he said, and forged certificates from forms he found online.

“It's a hell of a load off my shoulders,” said Bass, 66. “It's pressure off me. Things that needed to be said for a lotta, lotta years.”

Under the Stolen Valor Act, people who lie about military awards and citations can face up to six months in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000. If the violation involves a top decoration awarded for valor in combat — such as the Distinguished Service Cross or Silver Star — the penalty doubles.

Doug Sterner, a military historian from Colorado, estimates about 50 cases have been prosecuted since 2006, when the act became law. Sterner maintains a Web site that lists recipients of top military awards.

He said Bass' deception is particularly egregious because of the prestige of the medals he claimed and the fact that he duped a museum into honoring him with a permanent exhibit.

“I've seen these cases and they go on and on for years because it goes against our grain when we see a decorated veteran to question them,” Sterner said.

At his East Houston home last week, Bass ushered a Chronicle reporter into a small study decorated with American flags and faded photographs of himself in uniform. He pointed out a rucksack, helmet and combat boots he said he wore as an infantryman in Vietnam.

Then he closed his eyes and tried to explain.

Bass said he grew up poor in Houston's Fifth Ward. His parents divorced when he was 10 and he went to live with his dad. “I guess I cramped his style,” he said. “There was a lot of pressure. He dogged me out a lot: ‘You never amount to nothing, you ain't about this or you ain't about that.'”

Bass said he enlisted in the Army and deployed to Vietnam in 1969. He returned to the United States a year later, tortured by post traumatic stress and disillusioned by prejudice he says he experienced in his unit.

On his way home, Bass said, he bought some ribbons in a military supplies store, just to make his uniform look a bit more impressive.

First he told a few tall tales to his family, to make them proud. Then to fellow veterans, for respect. “For a while I was talking about it so much I was actually believing it myself,” he said.

No one ever questioned him until the Channel 2 story aired. After a local Vietnam veteran couldn't find Bass' name on Sterner's Web site, he raised concerns with Paul Matthews, executive director of the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum.

Matthews asked Bass to produce his discharge papers for verification. The document showed Bass had served in Vietnam as a private from 1969-70, earning a Combat Infantry Badge, but no Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Stars, Bronze Stars or Purple Hearts. Army officials say it will take at least a week to verify Bass' service.

Matthews immediately removed Bass' exhibit.

Now Bass says he's too embarrassed to leave the house. “I ain't been able to sleep, I ain't been able to eat.”

He said he knows what he did was wrong. And he knows that telling the truth means he'll have to stop fighting imaginary battles and confront his real demons.

“Some 58,900 people were killed in Vietnam,” Bass said. “I'm supposed to be on that Wall. You have survivor's guilt. ... It eats me up. So it's like I'm trying to tell their stories, the brave men I wanted to be like. I'm trying to honor these people, but I'm dishonoring them. I understand that now.”

http://www.mysanantonio.com/military...abricated.html