Lt. Col. James Gordon “Bo” Gritz, a Vietnam War veteran who said he inspired Sylvester Stallone’s John Rambo character, has passed away.
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Gritz had been dealing with chronic health issues at his home in Sandy Valley, Nevada, near Las Vegas, according to local outlet KTNV.
His wife, Judy, announced the 87-year-old’s death in a Feb. 27 Facebook post.
“Bo just peacefully passed,” she wrote. “His comrades welcoming him [said], ‘What took you so long, Colonel?’ He’s looking into the eyes of our Savior.”
Grits was a decorated Vietnam veteran (whose honors with the Army’s 5th Special Forces Group reportedly included three Silver Stars) who emerged as a right-wing political figure in the late 1980s and early 1990s, even launching an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 1992.
After the war, he gained recognition for mediating the infamous Ruby Ridge standoff between federal agents and survivalist and self-proclaimed white separatist Randy Weaver in Idaho in 1992. Gritz convinced Weaver to surrender to federal authorities, bringing the standoff to an end.
Gritz tried to mediate in other standoffs later that decade but was unsuccessful. Despite this, his role in convincing Weaver to surrender at Ruby Ridge made him a hero among survivalists, militiamen, and “sovereign citizens.”
James Gordon “Bo” Gritz Claimed He Inspired Rambo and an ‘A-Team’ Character
Several outlets reported that Gritz claimed to have partially inspired the character of John Rambo in David Morrell’s 1972 novel First Blood, which later became a film franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. However, Morrell clarified to Flashback Files in 2022 that the character was actually inspired by World War II hero Audie Murphy. Morrell made no mention of Gritz.
Gritz also claimed to have partially inspired the character John “Hannibal” Smith from the 1980s TV series The A-Team and some roles played by Chuck Norris.
Meanwhile, according to IMDb, Gritz portrayed a fictionalized version of himself, Lt. Col. Steel, in the 1990 film Rescue Force. He was later depicted by Bob Gunton in the 1996 CBS television film The Siege at Ruby Ridge.
Bo Gritz and ‘Freedom Call’
In his later years, Gritz hosted a radio program called Freedom Call. On the program, he promoted anti-government and survivalist views, per KTNV. The Southern Poverty Law Center linked Gritz to the Christian Identity movement, an ideology the FBI has described as racist. Gritz denied all accusations of racism throughout his life.
In the days before his death, Gritz’s wife shared on social media that he was facing health challenges, including a recent cancer diagnosis. He also expressed fear of surgery and prolonged hospice care.
On Feb. 24, his wife wrote on social media, “Bo has told me several times, he has lived in Sandy Valley for over 45 years, he wants to die in Sandy Valley. He wants to be buried in Sandy Valley.” Two days later, she announced she would be bringing him home from the hospital.
He passed away the following day.