He wore a Navy Cross for action in the Pacific long before he took command of VF 74 on the Kasaan Bay. Here he is shown in the Ready Room. He died during the attacks on German planes in Southern France. I sat next to Lt. Cdr. Bass at Church Services on the Hangar Deck just before he took off on his long flight. I was a bit shook up with what had already happened to me and he patted me on the shoulder and gave some words of encouragement. I never saw him again.
