James “Bo” Gritz, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces officer who claimed to have inspired Sylvester Stallone’s iconic character John Rambo, has died at the age of 87. His wife confirmed his passing in a statement. Gritz was a decorated Vietnam War veteran who served with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). During his military career, he earned numerous honors, including three Silver Stars. He retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel. Following his military service, Gritz became involved in politics and activism. He ran for president in 1992 under the Populist Party and gained attention for his ties to militia groups, conspiracy theories, and the Christian Patriot movement.

He was also known for attempting to mediate during several high-profile standoffs involving anti-government groups. One of the most notable was the 1992 Ruby Ridge incident in Idaho, where he helped negotiate with Randy Weaver after a deadly siege that resulted in the deaths of Weaver’s wife and son. Gritz later described the situation as a tragic event and worked to help prevent further violence.

During the Vietnam War, Gritz led Detachment B-36 of the 5th Special Forces Group, part of the MIKE Force. The unit operated in southern South Vietnam near the Cambodian border. One of his notable missions included recovering the black box from a downed U-2 spy plane deep inside enemy territory in Cambodia in 1966. Gritz’s life and controversial legacy were later explored in the 2017 documentary Erase and Forget, which also highlighted his claim that his experiences helped inspire the fictional Rambo character.

He spent his later years living in Sandy Valley near the California-Nevada border. According to his wife, Gritz died peacefully at home, where he had lived for more than four decades. He is survived by his wife and four children. No official cause of death was reported.