Bo Gritz
Encyclopedia
James Gordon "Bo" Gritz is a former United States Army Special Forces
officer who served in the Vietnam War
. His post-war activities notably attempted POW rescues in conjunction with the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue
have proven controversial. Gritz lives near Sandy Valley, Nevada
with his wife Judy.
(OCS). As a Lt. Col.
in Vietnam, he commanded detachment "B-36," U.S. Army Special Forces 5th SFG for a time. B-36 was a mixed American
and South Vietnamese unit which operated in the III Corps area of Southern South Vietnam
. He served in a variety of assignments until his retirement in 1979 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Gritz' huge claimed array of military awards has been drawn into question. A memo regarding his awards and award recommendations during his time in Vietnam seems to indicate that Gritz was personally involved with the recommendation of some of his medals, including the Legion of Merit, and that some of his awards recommendations cited the same missions and incidents, effectively awarding Gritz multiple medals for the same missions, including the Legion of Merit, Air Medal, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Army Commendation Medal.
, purportedly to locate United States
prisoners of war which as part of the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue
some believed were still being held by Laos
and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
e.g., at Nhommarath. Those missions were heavily publicized, controversial and widely decried as haphazard for instance, as some commentators stated, few successful secret missions involve bringing to the border towns women openly marketing commemorative POW-rescue T-shirts.
In the book Inside Delta Force
, CSM Eric L. Haney
, a former Delta Force
operator, claims that the unit was twice told to prepare for a mission involving the rescue of American POWs from Vietnam. However, both times the missions were scrubbed, according to Haney, when Gritz suddenly appeared in the spotlight, drawing too much attention to the issue and making the missions too difficult to accomplish.
regarding possible locations of U.S. POWs, Gritz returned from Burma with a videotaped interview of Khun Sa purporting to name several officials in the Reagan administration
involved in narcotics trafficking in Southeast Asia. Among those named was Richard Armitage
, who most recently served as Deputy Secretary of State during George W. Bush
's first term as President. Gritz believed that those same officials were involved in a coverup of missing American POWs.
During this period Gritz established contacts with the Christic Institute
, a progressive
group which was then pursuing a lawsuit against the U.S. government over charges of drug trafficking in both Southeast Asia and Central America
.
. Attempting to build bridges among conspiracy theorists and other activists of both the left
and right, in 1990 he held a conference in Las Vegas, Nevada
called "Freedom Call '90". Speakers at that conference included October surprise conspiracy
researcher Barbara Honegger, Bill Davis of the Christic Institute, conspiracy theorist Eustace Mullins
, and several others. This newfound interest in conspiracy theories proved to be as controversial as Gritz's earlier missions searching for POWs.
, Gritz was an outspoken opponent of that war, and linked it to a conspiracy theory alleging plans to implement a one-world government
, known as the "new world order
." He appeared on Pacifica Radio
stations in California
as a guest several times, and for a short time was in demand as a speaker to left-wing and anti-war
audiences. However, during this period he also became closely associated with the Christian Patriot
movement on the right, and spoke at conferences sponsored by Christian Identity
pastor Pete Peters. When these associations became known to those on the left, especially after the publication of a report by the Los Angeles
-based group People Against Racist Terror calling Gritz a "front man for fascism
", left-wing audiences lost interest in Gritz, and the Christic Institute
and Pacifica Radio cut off any further association.
of John F. Kennedy
, and allegations of a conspiracy to establish a new world order. His third book is titled My Brother's Keeper and was published in 2003.
on the Populist Party
ticket, as the running mate of former Ku Klux Klansman David Duke
. Gritz pulled out early in the race and ran instead for a Nevada Congressional seat. Gritz was then replaced with Floyd Parker
on some ballots. Gritz has claimed he accepted the party's nomination with the belief he would be the running mate of James Trafficant, and that sometime after learning it would be not be Trafficant but Duke and sometime after meeting Duke, he decided to drop out.
In 1992, Gritz ran for President of the United States
, again with the Populist Party
. Under the campaign slogan "God, Guns and Gritz" and publishing his political manifesto "The Bill of Gritz" (playing on his last name rhyming with "rights"), he called for staunch opposition to what he called "global government
" and "The New World Order
", ending all foreign aid, and abolishing federal income tax and the Federal Reserve System
. During the campaign, Gritz openly proclaimed the United States to be a "Christian Nation", stating that the country's legal statutes “should reflect unashamed acceptance of Almighty God and His Laws." He received 106,152 votes nationwide, or only 0.14% of the popular vote. In two states he had a respectable showing for a third party candidate: Utah
, where he received 3.84% of the vote and Idaho
, where he received 2.13% of the vote. In some counties, his support topped 10%, and in Franklin County, Idaho
, was only a few votes away from pushing Bill Clinton
into fourth place in the county. His run on the America First/Populist Party ticket was prompted by his association with another far-right political Christian talk radio host, Tom Valentine.
Also during 1992, Gritz attracted national attention as mediator during the government standoff with Randy Weaver
at Ruby Ridge
, Idaho.
and survivalist
skills because he predicted that there would be a total sociopolitical and economic collapse in the U.S. He also established a community in Kamiah, Idaho (contiguous to the Nez Perce Reservation) called Almost Heaven.
Several times he used his influence and reputation in the Christian Patriot
community in attempts to negotiate conclusions between legal authorities and far-Right activists. In August 1992, he intervened on behalf of Randy Weaver
who, with his family, was holed up on his rural home in Ruby Ridge
, Idaho
, after U.S. Marshals attempted to arrest him on a weapons charge. The 11-day standoff, which resulted in the deaths of a U.S. Marshal and Weaver's son and wife, ended after Gritz convinced Weaver to leave his cabin and place his faith and trust in the court system. In 1996, he unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a conclusion to the stand-off by the Montana Freemen
, a group of Christian Patriot
activists who were wanted on a collection of charges. After speaking with the "Freemen," he left in frustration, stating that they presented him with what he called "legal mumbo-jumbo" to support their claims, and cautioned others in the Patriot movement not to support them (the stand-off ended when the "Freemen" surrendered after 81 days).
He has been accused of white supremacy
by some, although he renounced the belief in an interview with The Militia Watchdog, saying "I've served with black, white, yellow, brown, red; all religions; nobody ever asked you about your religion, your blood bleeds red the same as everyone else."
-clinic bombing suspect Eric Rudolph in order to save Rudolph's life.
In 2005, Gritz became an active protester for intervention in the Terri Schiavo case
. On 19 March 2005, when the tube was removed, he was arrested for trespassing after trying to enter the hospice
where she lived.
Gritz remains active with a website and a radio broadcast called "Freedom Call" on The American Voice Radio Network via Internet Audio Streaming, Phone Bridge, Independent Am/FM and via the Free-to-air
Ku band
home satellite system on Galaxy 19
.
into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). However, in 1994, Gritz's stake president refused to renew Gritz's temple recommend until Gritz could prove that he had paid his federal income tax. In response, Gritz resigned his membership in the LDS Church.
In 1999, Gritz and his second wife Judy became involved in the Church of Israel
, a group that originated within the Latter Day Saint movement
and has since become involved with the Christian Identity
movement.
Note - The source for the above is the biography section on LTC Gritz's website ( http://www.bogritz.com/biography.htm ) which provides a list of awards received by LTC Gritz and a photograph of him in uniform. All awards listed above are either on list on in the photograph.
was loosely based on Gritz. In the early 1980s, actor William Shatner
paid almost $15,000 for the entertainment rights to Gritz's life story. In the 1996 TV movie about the Ruby Ridge
incident (Ruby Ridge: An American Tragedy re-edited as The Siege at Ruby Ridge), Bo Gritz was portrayed by Bob Gunton
.
Gritz appears as himself in the 1998 BBC
television documentary, Survivalists, part of the first series of Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends
.
United States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
officer who served in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. His post-war activities notably attempted POW rescues in conjunction with the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue
Vietnam War POW/MIA issue
The Vietnam War POW/MIA issue concerns the fate of United States servicemen who were reported as missing in action during the Vietnam War and associated theaters of operation in Southeast Asia...
have proven controversial. Gritz lives near Sandy Valley, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
with his wife Judy.
U.S. military service
Born in 1939 in Oklahoma, his father served in the Army Air Force in World War II and was killed in action. Gritz was raised by his maternal grandparents on patriotic stories of his father's heroics in the war. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1957 and shortly thereafter attended Officer Candidate SchoolOfficer Candidate School
Officer Candidate School or Officer Cadet School are institutions which train civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country....
(OCS). As a Lt. Col.
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
in Vietnam, he commanded detachment "B-36," U.S. Army Special Forces 5th SFG for a time. B-36 was a mixed American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and South Vietnamese unit which operated in the III Corps area of Southern South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. He served in a variety of assignments until his retirement in 1979 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Gritz' huge claimed array of military awards has been drawn into question. A memo regarding his awards and award recommendations during his time in Vietnam seems to indicate that Gritz was personally involved with the recommendation of some of his medals, including the Legion of Merit, and that some of his awards recommendations cited the same missions and incidents, effectively awarding Gritz multiple medals for the same missions, including the Legion of Merit, Air Medal, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Army Commendation Medal.
Attempts to locate prisoners of war
During the 1980s Gritz undertook a series of private trips into Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, purportedly to locate United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prisoners of war which as part of the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue
Vietnam War POW/MIA issue
The Vietnam War POW/MIA issue concerns the fate of United States servicemen who were reported as missing in action during the Vietnam War and associated theaters of operation in Southeast Asia...
some believed were still being held by Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
e.g., at Nhommarath. Those missions were heavily publicized, controversial and widely decried as haphazard for instance, as some commentators stated, few successful secret missions involve bringing to the border towns women openly marketing commemorative POW-rescue T-shirts.
In the book Inside Delta Force
Inside Delta Force
Inside Delta Force: The Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist Unit is a 2002 memoir written by Eric L. Haney about his experiences as a founding special forces operator in the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta the U.S. Army's counterterrorist unit...
, CSM Eric L. Haney
Eric L. Haney
Eric L. Haney is a retired member of the United States Army counterterrorist unit, the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta , more commonly known as Delta Force. In recent years he has been writing on terrorism, guerrilla warfare, and special operations...
, a former Delta Force
Delta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
operator, claims that the unit was twice told to prepare for a mission involving the rescue of American POWs from Vietnam. However, both times the missions were scrubbed, according to Haney, when Gritz suddenly appeared in the spotlight, drawing too much attention to the issue and making the missions too difficult to accomplish.
Allegations of U.S. Government involvement in drug trafficking
In 1986, after a trip to Burma to interview drug kingpin Khun SaKhun Sa
Khun Sa , also known as Chang Chi-fu was a Burmese warlord. He was born in Loi Maw of Mongyai. He was also dubbed the "Opium King" due to his opium trading in the so-called Golden Triangle. He was also the leader of the Shan United Army and the Mong Tai Army.- Biography :Khun Sa was born to a...
regarding possible locations of U.S. POWs, Gritz returned from Burma with a videotaped interview of Khun Sa purporting to name several officials in the Reagan administration
Reagan Administration
The United States presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan administration, was a Republican administration headed by Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981, to January 20, 1989....
involved in narcotics trafficking in Southeast Asia. Among those named was Richard Armitage
Richard Armitage (politician)
Richard Lee Armitage, GCMG AC CNZM was the 13th United States Deputy Secretary of State, the second-in-command at the State Department, serving from 2001 to 2005.-Early life and military career:...
, who most recently served as Deputy Secretary of State during George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's first term as President. Gritz believed that those same officials were involved in a coverup of missing American POWs.
During this period Gritz established contacts with the Christic Institute
Christic Institute
The Christic Institute was a public interest law firm founded in 1980 by Daniel Sheehan, his wife, Sara Nelson and their partner, William J. Davis, who was a Jesuit priest. Its headquarters were based in Washington, D.C. with several offices in other major United States cities, such as San...
, a progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
group which was then pursuing a lawsuit against the U.S. government over charges of drug trafficking in both Southeast Asia and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
.
Conspiracy researcher
In 1989, Gritz established the Center For Action, which was active on a number of issues, mostly pertaining to conspiracy theoriesConspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
. Attempting to build bridges among conspiracy theorists and other activists of both the left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
and right, in 1990 he held a conference in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
called "Freedom Call '90". Speakers at that conference included October surprise conspiracy
October surprise conspiracy
The October Surprise conspiracy theory refers to an alleged plot to influence the outcome of the 1980 United States presidential election between incumbent Jimmy Carter and opponent Ronald Reagan ....
researcher Barbara Honegger, Bill Davis of the Christic Institute, conspiracy theorist Eustace Mullins
Eustace Mullins
Eustace Clarence Mullins, Jr. was a populist American political writer, biographer, and antisemite. His most famous and influential work is The Secrets of The Federal Reserve, described by congressman Wright Patman as 'a very fine book [which] has been very useful to me'...
, and several others. This newfound interest in conspiracy theories proved to be as controversial as Gritz's earlier missions searching for POWs.
Anti-war activities
During the 1991 Persian Gulf WarGulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, Gritz was an outspoken opponent of that war, and linked it to a conspiracy theory alleging plans to implement a one-world government
World government
World government is the notion of a single common political authority for all of humanity. Its modern conception is rooted in European history, particularly in the philosophy of ancient Greece, in the political formation of the Roman Empire, and in the subsequent struggle between secular authority,...
, known as the "new world order
New World Order (conspiracy)
In conspiracy theory, the term New World Order or NWO refers to the emergence of a totalitarian one-world government.The common theme in conspiracy theories about a New World Order is that a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda is conspiring to eventually rule the world through an...
." He appeared on Pacifica Radio
Pacifica Radio
Pacifica Radio is the oldest public radio network in the United States. It is a group of five independently operated, non-commercial, listener-supported radio stations that is known for its progressive/liberal political orientation. It is also a program service supplying over 100 affiliated...
stations in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
as a guest several times, and for a short time was in demand as a speaker to left-wing and anti-war
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
audiences. However, during this period he also became closely associated with the Christian Patriot
Christian Patriot
The Christian Patriot movement is a movement of American political commentators and activists. They promote various interpretations of history and law with the common theme that the federal government has turned against the ideas of liberty and individual rights behind the American Revolution, and...
movement on the right, and spoke at conferences sponsored by Christian Identity
Christian Identity
Christian Identity is a label applied to a wide variety of loosely affiliated believers and churches with a racialized theology. Many promote a Eurocentric interpretation of Christianity.According to Chester L...
pastor Pete Peters. When these associations became known to those on the left, especially after the publication of a report by the Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
-based group People Against Racist Terror calling Gritz a "front man for fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
", left-wing audiences lost interest in Gritz, and the Christic Institute
Christic Institute
The Christic Institute was a public interest law firm founded in 1980 by Daniel Sheehan, his wife, Sara Nelson and their partner, William J. Davis, who was a Jesuit priest. Its headquarters were based in Washington, D.C. with several offices in other major United States cities, such as San...
and Pacifica Radio cut off any further association.
Writings
Gritz is the author of three books. The first, A Nation Betrayed, was published in 1989 and contained Gritz's allegations of drug trafficking and a POW coverup, based on the Khun Sa interview. The second, Called To Serve, was published in 1992 and expanded on the previous book to cover a wide range of conspiracies, including the assassinationJohn F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, and allegations of a conspiracy to establish a new world order. His third book is titled My Brother's Keeper and was published in 2003.
Populist Party presidential tickets
In 1988, Gritz was the candidate for Vice President of the United StatesVice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
on the Populist Party
Populist Party (United States, 1984)
The Populist Party was a political party in the United States between 1984 and 1996. It was far-right and often white nationalist in its ideology...
ticket, as the running mate of former Ku Klux Klansman David Duke
David Duke
David Ernest Duke is a former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan an American activist and writer, and former Republican Louisiana State Representative. He was also a former candidate in the Republican presidential primaries in 1992, and in the Democratic presidential primaries in...
. Gritz pulled out early in the race and ran instead for a Nevada Congressional seat. Gritz was then replaced with Floyd Parker
Floyd Parker
Dr. Floyd Parker is a physician from New Mexico. Parker was one of two candidates for Vice President of the United States Trenton Stokes of Arkansas with the Populist Party for the 1988 US presidential election...
on some ballots. Gritz has claimed he accepted the party's nomination with the belief he would be the running mate of James Trafficant, and that sometime after learning it would be not be Trafficant but Duke and sometime after meeting Duke, he decided to drop out.
In 1992, Gritz ran for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, again with the Populist Party
Populist Party (United States, 1984)
The Populist Party was a political party in the United States between 1984 and 1996. It was far-right and often white nationalist in its ideology...
. Under the campaign slogan "God, Guns and Gritz" and publishing his political manifesto "The Bill of Gritz" (playing on his last name rhyming with "rights"), he called for staunch opposition to what he called "global government
World government
World government is the notion of a single common political authority for all of humanity. Its modern conception is rooted in European history, particularly in the philosophy of ancient Greece, in the political formation of the Roman Empire, and in the subsequent struggle between secular authority,...
" and "The New World Order
New World Order (conspiracy)
In conspiracy theory, the term New World Order or NWO refers to the emergence of a totalitarian one-world government.The common theme in conspiracy theories about a New World Order is that a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda is conspiring to eventually rule the world through an...
", ending all foreign aid, and abolishing federal income tax and the Federal Reserve System
Federal Reserve System
The Federal Reserve System is the central banking system of the United States. It was created on December 23, 1913 with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, largely in response to a series of financial panics, particularly a severe panic in 1907...
. During the campaign, Gritz openly proclaimed the United States to be a "Christian Nation", stating that the country's legal statutes “should reflect unashamed acceptance of Almighty God and His Laws." He received 106,152 votes nationwide, or only 0.14% of the popular vote. In two states he had a respectable showing for a third party candidate: Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, where he received 3.84% of the vote and Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, where he received 2.13% of the vote. In some counties, his support topped 10%, and in Franklin County, Idaho
Franklin County, Idaho
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 11,329 . The county seat and largest city is Preston. Franklin County is part of the Logan, Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area.Established in 1913, Franklin County was named...
, was only a few votes away from pushing Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
into fourth place in the county. His run on the America First/Populist Party ticket was prompted by his association with another far-right political Christian talk radio host, Tom Valentine.
Also during 1992, Gritz attracted national attention as mediator during the government standoff with Randy Weaver
Randy Weaver
Randall Claude "Randy" Weaver is a former Green Beret who was at the center of a deadly confrontation with U.S. federal agents at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992.-Early life:...
at Ruby Ridge
Ruby Ridge
Ruby Ridge was the site of a violent confrontation and siege in northern Idaho in 1992. It involved Randy Weaver, his family, Weaver's friend Kevin Harris, and agents of the United States Marshals Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation...
, Idaho.
Controversial activities
In 1993, Gritz changed his emphasis again and began offering a course called SPIKE (Specially Prepared Individuals for Key Events), where those events oppose the New World Order, which taught paramilitaryParamilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
and survivalist
Survivalism
Survivalism is a movement of individuals or groups who are actively preparing for future possible disruptions in local, regional, national, or international social or political order...
skills because he predicted that there would be a total sociopolitical and economic collapse in the U.S. He also established a community in Kamiah, Idaho (contiguous to the Nez Perce Reservation) called Almost Heaven.
Several times he used his influence and reputation in the Christian Patriot
Christian Patriot
The Christian Patriot movement is a movement of American political commentators and activists. They promote various interpretations of history and law with the common theme that the federal government has turned against the ideas of liberty and individual rights behind the American Revolution, and...
community in attempts to negotiate conclusions between legal authorities and far-Right activists. In August 1992, he intervened on behalf of Randy Weaver
Randy Weaver
Randall Claude "Randy" Weaver is a former Green Beret who was at the center of a deadly confrontation with U.S. federal agents at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992.-Early life:...
who, with his family, was holed up on his rural home in Ruby Ridge
Ruby Ridge
Ruby Ridge was the site of a violent confrontation and siege in northern Idaho in 1992. It involved Randy Weaver, his family, Weaver's friend Kevin Harris, and agents of the United States Marshals Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, after U.S. Marshals attempted to arrest him on a weapons charge. The 11-day standoff, which resulted in the deaths of a U.S. Marshal and Weaver's son and wife, ended after Gritz convinced Weaver to leave his cabin and place his faith and trust in the court system. In 1996, he unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a conclusion to the stand-off by the Montana Freemen
Montana Freemen
The Montana Freemen were a Christian Patriot movement based outside the town of Jordan, Montana. The members of the group referred to their land as "Justus Township" and had declared themselves no longer under the authority of any outside government...
, a group of Christian Patriot
Christian Patriot
The Christian Patriot movement is a movement of American political commentators and activists. They promote various interpretations of history and law with the common theme that the federal government has turned against the ideas of liberty and individual rights behind the American Revolution, and...
activists who were wanted on a collection of charges. After speaking with the "Freemen," he left in frustration, stating that they presented him with what he called "legal mumbo-jumbo" to support their claims, and cautioned others in the Patriot movement not to support them (the stand-off ended when the "Freemen" surrendered after 81 days).
He has been accused of white supremacy
White supremacy
White supremacy is the belief, and promotion of the belief, that white people are superior to people of other racial backgrounds. The term is sometimes used specifically to describe a political ideology that advocates the social and political dominance by whites.White supremacy, as with racial...
by some, although he renounced the belief in an interview with The Militia Watchdog, saying "I've served with black, white, yellow, brown, red; all religions; nobody ever asked you about your religion, your blood bleeds red the same as everyone else."
Subsequent activities
In 1998, Gritz organized a fruitless search for Atlanta Olympic and abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
-clinic bombing suspect Eric Rudolph in order to save Rudolph's life.
In 2005, Gritz became an active protester for intervention in the Terri Schiavo case
Terri Schiavo case
The Terri Schiavo case was a legal battle in the United States between the legal guardians and the parents of Teresa Marie "Terri" Schiavo that lasted from 1998 to 2005...
. On 19 March 2005, when the tube was removed, he was arrested for trespassing after trying to enter the hospice
Hospice care in the United States
Hospice care in the United States is a type and philosophy of end-of-life care whichfocuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms. These symptoms can be physical, emotional, spiritual or social in nature...
where she lived.
Gritz remains active with a website and a radio broadcast called "Freedom Call" on The American Voice Radio Network via Internet Audio Streaming, Phone Bridge, Independent Am/FM and via the Free-to-air
Free-to-air
Free-to-air describes television and radio services broadcast in clear form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription or one-off fee...
Ku band
Ku band
The Kμ band is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the microwave range of frequencies. This symbol refers to —in other words, the band directly below the K-band...
home satellite system on Galaxy 19
Galaxy 19
Galaxy 19 is a communications satellite owned by Intelsat located at 97° West longitude, serving the North American market. Galaxy 19 replaced Galaxy 25 which is nearing the end of its design life and has been moved to 93.1°W longitude. It was built by Space Systems/Loral, as part of its FS-1300...
.
Involvement with Mormonism
In 1984, Gritz and his wife Claudia were baptizedBaptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). However, in 1994, Gritz's stake president refused to renew Gritz's temple recommend until Gritz could prove that he had paid his federal income tax. In response, Gritz resigned his membership in the LDS Church.
In 1999, Gritz and his second wife Judy became involved in the Church of Israel
Church of Israel
The Church of Israel is a denomination that emerged from the Church of Christ in the Latter Day Saint movement and is now affiliated with the Christian Identity movement, a charge which its leader, Dan Gayman, denies.The Church of Israel was first organized in 1972...
, a group that originated within the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
and has since become involved with the Christian Identity
Christian Identity
Christian Identity is a label applied to a wide variety of loosely affiliated believers and churches with a racialized theology. Many promote a Eurocentric interpretation of Christianity.According to Chester L...
movement.
Military awards
Silver StarSilver StarThe Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
with 4 oak leaf clusters
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying CrossDistinguished Flying Cross (United States)The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
Soldiers Medal
Bronze Star MedalBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
with "V" device for valor, one silver and four bronze oak leaf clusters (10 awards)
Purple HeartPurple HeartThe Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
Defense Meritorious Service MedalDefense Meritorious Service MedalThe Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United States)The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
Air MedalAir MedalThe Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
with "V" device for valor (25 awards including 2 for valor)
Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for valor and one oak leaf cluster (possibly more)- Presidential Unit CitationPresidential Unit CitationThe Presidential Unit Citation is a senior unit award granted to military units which have performed an extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy...
with oak leaf cluster - Meritorious Unit CommendationMeritorious Unit CommendationThe Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
- Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (unit award)
- Vietnam Civil Actions MedalVietnam Civil Actions MedalThe Vietnam Civil Actions Medal was a decoration of South Vietnam which was first established in 1964. The decoration is a mid-level service award which was awarded to any member of the Vietnamese military who performed outstanding civic service to the state or who participated in civil service...
(unit award) 
Good Conduct MedalGood Conduct MedalThe Good Conduct Medal is one of the oldest military awards of the United States military. The Navy Good Conduct Medal was first issued in 1869, followed by a Marine version in 1896. The Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal was issued in 1923 and the Army Good Conduct Medal in 1941. The Air Force was...
National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...- Armed Forces Expeditionary MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalThe Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
- Vietnam Service MedalVietnam Service MedalThe Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during...
with one silver campaign star in lieu of five bronze service stars (possibly entitled to more) - Armed Forces Reserve MedalArmed Forces Reserve MedalThe Armed Forces Reserve Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that has existed since 1950. The medal recognizes service performed by the Reserve and National Guard forces of the United States of America....
- National Order of VietnamNational Order of VietnamThe National Order of Vietnam was a combined military-civilian decoration of South Vietnam and was considered the highest honor that could be bestowed upon an individual by the Republic of Vietnam government....
- Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm
- Republic of Vietnam Honor MedalVietnam Armed Forces Honor MedalThe Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal was a decoration of South Vietnam that was first created in 1953. The medal was issued in two grades and reached its height of bestowals during the years of the Vietnam War...
- Republic of Vietnam Staff Service Medal
- Republic of Vietnam Wound Medal
- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Gold Medal of Cambodia 2 awards
- Combat Infantryman BadgeCombat Infantryman BadgeThe Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
- Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification BadgeOffice of the Secretary of Defense Identification BadgeThe Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge is a military badge issued to members of the United States armed forces who are permanently assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and its subordinate offices, and in addition, to some of the Defense Agencies and Department of...
- Pathfinder Badge
- Master Parachutist Badge
- Scuba Diver Badge
- Salvage Diver Badge
- Special Forces TabSpecial Forces TabThe Special Forces Tab is a service school qualification tab of the United States Army, awarded to any soldier completing either the Special Forces Qualification Course, or the Special Forces Detachment Officer Qualification Course , at the U.S. Army John F...
- Ranger TabRanger TabThe Ranger Tab is a service school military decoration of the United States Army signifying completion of the 61-day long Ranger School course in small-unit infantry combat tactics in woodland, mountain, and swamp operations. In December 2009 a British NCO earned the Ranger tab...
- State of New York Conspicuous Service CrossConspicuous Service Cross (New York)The Conspicuous Service Cross is a decoration for military service awarded by the State of New York to members of the military who have also been awarded any of the following by the United States:...
(Numerous awards)
Note - The source for the above is the biography section on LTC Gritz's website ( http://www.bogritz.com/biography.htm ) which provides a list of awards received by LTC Gritz and a photograph of him in uniform. All awards listed above are either on list on in the photograph.
Cultural impact
The character of John "Hannibal" Smith on the 1980s television series The A-TeamThe A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
was loosely based on Gritz. In the early 1980s, actor William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
paid almost $15,000 for the entertainment rights to Gritz's life story. In the 1996 TV movie about the Ruby Ridge
Ruby Ridge
Ruby Ridge was the site of a violent confrontation and siege in northern Idaho in 1992. It involved Randy Weaver, his family, Weaver's friend Kevin Harris, and agents of the United States Marshals Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation...
incident (Ruby Ridge: An American Tragedy re-edited as The Siege at Ruby Ridge), Bo Gritz was portrayed by Bob Gunton
Bob Gunton
Robert Patrick "Bob" Gunton, Jr. is an American actor. He is known for playing strict, authoritarian characters, with his best known roles as Warden Samuel Norton in the 1994 prison film The Shawshank Redemption, Chief George Earle in 1993's Demolition Man, and President Juan Peron in the original...
.
Gritz appears as himself in the 1998 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television documentary, Survivalists, part of the first series of Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends
Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends
Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends is a television documentary series, in which Louis Theroux gives viewers the chance to get brief glimpses into the worlds of individuals and groups that they would not normally come into contact with or experience up close...
.
External links
- Gritz's official website
- Gritz's 1988 Feb 1 letter to VP Bush
- http://theamericanvoice.com