Roll of Honor
Incident
Trooper John Bass was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on 24th Avenue, West of 5th Street in Cordele, Georgia. At 7:00 p.m., he was returning to the station from his lunch break when he was hit. He was transported to Adams Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries over an hour later. When the driver was apprehended shortly after fleeing the crash scene, he was intoxicated. He pleaded nolo contendere and was fined $300 of a $1000 fine and given a three-year suspended sentence. Trooper Bass was a United States Army WWII military police veteran and had served with the Georgia State Patrol for two years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-CB8E2C1B- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Trooper Bass gave the Georgia State Patrol 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Georgia, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
John Frank Bass, Jr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Trooper John Frank Bass, Jr. is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Georgia State Patrol, 4 of 29 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 13.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Frank Bass, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How John Frank Bass, Jr. Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Frank Bass, Jr. is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
28 officers from Georgia State Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
