Michael Bass '96
written February 2009 by Catherine Stuart Vrettos ’94, Harding computer teacher
On October 31, 2008, fourth grader Nathan Baulch walked up to Marine Capt. Michael Bass ’96 and stuck out his hand. Nathan explained, “I wanted to shake the hand of a true American hero—Harding’s hero.” Nathan first heard about our hero as a third grader when he wrote a letter to Michael and his platoon as part of a school community service project.
At the time, Capt. Bass was serving in Iraq as a platoon leader of 31 Marines and one Navy Corpsman, with a complement of 11 Amphibious Assault Vehicles. Their main mission was dismantling roadside bombs. The classes of 2007, 2008, and 2009 all sent letters to Capt. Bass and his men. Michael wrote back to every single student who wrote him.
Long before he was a Marine, Michael was a student in Mrs. Swift’s kindergarten class. At Harding, he was active in Boy Scouts and sports like cross-country, basketball, and soccer. His favorite memories include crawdads in science, Halloween parties, and the Harding Arts Festival. He continued his education and activities at Montgomery Bell Academy where he was an Eagle Scout, Student Council member, soup kitchen volunteer, and multi-sport varsity athlete. At graduation, he received the Laird Smith Award for Loyalty.
After high school, Michael made a commitment to serve his country by joining the Naval ROTC program at Vanderbilt University. At Vanderbilt, he served as secretary of Sigma Chi, majored in communications, and enjoyed the Vanderbilt Angling Society. Upon graduation, Michael headed to Quantico, Virginia, where he became a commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps. After his deployment to Iraq from October 2006 to 2007, Michael did a second overseas tour in Afghanistan from March 2008 to October 2008. There he led 51 Marines and one Navy Corpsman, with a complement of five Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles. Their mission was to search for the Taliban and to patrol the roads for roadside bombs. It was in Afghanistan that Nathan and his classmates learned about “Harding’s hero.”
Upon safely returning back to the States, Captain Bass’s first visit was to personally thank the Harding Academy fourth graders (as well as faculty and staff who supported him) and to talk to middle school students on Veterans Day. He is currently stationed in Quantico, where he screens, evaluates, and teaches future officers. In two years, he plans to return home to Nashville to settle down and work on a master’s in business administration.
At the time, Capt. Bass was serving in Iraq as a platoon leader of 31 Marines and one Navy Corpsman, with a complement of 11 Amphibious Assault Vehicles. Their main mission was dismantling roadside bombs. The classes of 2007, 2008, and 2009 all sent letters to Capt. Bass and his men. Michael wrote back to every single student who wrote him.
Long before he was a Marine, Michael was a student in Mrs. Swift’s kindergarten class. At Harding, he was active in Boy Scouts and sports like cross-country, basketball, and soccer. His favorite memories include crawdads in science, Halloween parties, and the Harding Arts Festival. He continued his education and activities at Montgomery Bell Academy where he was an Eagle Scout, Student Council member, soup kitchen volunteer, and multi-sport varsity athlete. At graduation, he received the Laird Smith Award for Loyalty.
After high school, Michael made a commitment to serve his country by joining the Naval ROTC program at Vanderbilt University. At Vanderbilt, he served as secretary of Sigma Chi, majored in communications, and enjoyed the Vanderbilt Angling Society. Upon graduation, Michael headed to Quantico, Virginia, where he became a commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps. After his deployment to Iraq from October 2006 to 2007, Michael did a second overseas tour in Afghanistan from March 2008 to October 2008. There he led 51 Marines and one Navy Corpsman, with a complement of five Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles. Their mission was to search for the Taliban and to patrol the roads for roadside bombs. It was in Afghanistan that Nathan and his classmates learned about “Harding’s hero.”
Upon safely returning back to the States, Captain Bass’s first visit was to personally thank the Harding Academy fourth graders (as well as faculty and staff who supported him) and to talk to middle school students on Veterans Day. He is currently stationed in Quantico, where he screens, evaluates, and teaches future officers. In two years, he plans to return home to Nashville to settle down and work on a master’s in business administration.
Inspiring The Mind • Nurturing The Spirit