James “Bo” Gritz, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces officer often associated with the inspiration behind Sylvester Stallone’s character John Rambo, has died. 💔
He was 87, according to a statement from his wife.
A highly decorated Vietnam War veteran with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Gritz retired as a lieutenant colonel after receiving numerous honors, including three Silver Stars.
After his military service, he became a controversial public figure, involved in politics, militia-related movements, and constitutional activism. He ran for president in 1992 under the Populist Party and later acted as a negotiator during the Ruby Ridge standoff in Idaho.
During his military career, Gritz took part in covert operations aimed at recovering American POWs in Laos, though those missions were unsuccessful. He often described his post-service mission as defending constitutional rights, sometimes placing himself in tense and dangerous situations.
In 1992, during the Ruby Ridge incident, Gritz traveled to Idaho at the request of federal agents to help communicate with Randy Weaver after a deadly confrontation. Reflecting on the scene, he later said, “It was just a terrible scene.”
He also played a role in other standoffs, including an attempted mediation during the Montana Freemen situation, with mixed results.
Throughout the Vietnam War, Gritz led Detachment B-36 of the 5th Special Forces Group, operating in high-risk missions near the Cambodian border. One of his noted operations included recovering the black box from a downed U-2 spy plane in enemy territory.
Even in later years, he remained deeply connected to the Special Forces community and often spoke about his willingness to step into dangerous situations to help American citizens in crisis.
Gritz was also featured in the 2017 documentary Erase and Forget, where he discussed claims of influencing the character of John Rambo in First Blood.
He lived for many years in Sandy Valley, Nevada, near the California border. According to his wife, he died peacefully, “looking into the eyes of our Savior.” She also shared that he had wished to remain and be buried in the community he called home.
He is survived by four children. No official cause of death has been released. 💔
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