Claude Valentine Roosevelt Bache's Obituary
Col. Claude Valentine Roosevelt Bache, 89, of Leesburg, Virginia, died on Wednesday, June 29, 2010, of aspiration pneumonia following a stroke, at INova Mount Vernon Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia.
Col. Bache served 24 years in the U.S. Army. He was a World War II veteran, and served in London and Paris, where he was present on VE Day. He was a motion picture producer in the Signal Corps. In 1962, while at the Army Pictorial Center in New York, he received the Center's Award for Producer of the Non-Technical Training Film of the Year.
His other assignments included Korea, where he was a military advisor, Japan, and Hawaii. While based In Hawaii, he was the first Commanding Officer of the Department of the Army Special Photo Unit (DASPO) for the Pacific. His unit's primary mission was to document the war in Vietnam, but also events in Korea, Thailand, Okinawa, the Philippines, Indonesia and Hong Kong. He later served at the Pentagon, where he was Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Photographic Agency and Chief of Worldwide Operations, Department of the Army Special Photo Office. In this later capacity, he planned and directed photo detachments in the Pacific, Latin America and New York, whose mission was to document the activities of the U. S. Army in the Cold War. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious services from March 1, 1964, to August 31, 1966.
Col. Bache retired from the Army in 1966 and then entered the U.S. Civil Service, where he continued to make films for the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (now FEMA), under the Department of Defense. His work included civil defense training and information films. His documentary "Conflagration," about one of the worst fires in the history of the city of Boston, was chosen by the Educational Film Library Association for screening at the American Film Festival in New York City in 1976. Other documentaries for FEMA included one on the Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 crash into the Florida Everglades on December 29, 1972, which caused 101 fatalities. During severe flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes in 1972, he was called upon by the Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) to act as a Coordinator under the OEP Federal Coordinating Officer for disaster relief in Pennsylvania. During that time, he worked in the Wyoming Valley, performing various duties, including locating and setting up food distribution and medical services for flood victims. For this work, he received a commendation for his compassion and dedication in performing an outstanding job. During his career, Bache produced 48 documentaries and training films, as well as radio and television spots. His professional memberships included the National Honorary Cinema Fraternity (Delta Kappa Alpha), and the Combat Photographers Association.
Col. Bache was the only child of Claude Lenardo Bache of New York City and Esther Olivia Aves, of London, England. He was born on June 20, 1921, in Montgomery, New York. He grew up in New York City and Larchmont, Westchester County, New York. He lived in Mt. Vernon, Alexandria, Virginia, from 1964 until the early 1990s, when he relocated to Loudoun County, Virginia. He was living in Leesburg when he died. He was a past vice-president and board member of the Loudoun County Preservation Society, for whom he was an avid activiist in the late 1990s, early 2000s, speaking before the Board of Supervisors and lobbying in Richmond. He was also a former member of the Piedmont Environmental Council.
He was a graduate of Rutgers University and earned a Master of Arts in filmmaking at the University of Southern California (Los Angeles). He also attended the Film Institute of the City College of New York while serving at the Army Pictorial Center.
Col. Bache is survived by his companion of many years, Francine Modderno of Leesburg, daughters Diane Leach of Wexford, Pennsylvania; Michelle Henson of Alexandria, Virginia; Victoria Burnett of Petersburg, Virginia, Maria LaGoe of Great Falls, Virginia; sons Jeffrey Charles Bache of Stafford, Virginia, and Stephen Marshall Bache of Alexandria, Virginia. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and four step-grandchildren. He was divorced in 1981 from the former Jeanne Marshall, of Alexandria, Virginia.
What’s your fondest memory of Claude Valentine Roosevelt?
What’s a lesson you learned from Claude Valentine Roosevelt?
Share a story where Claude Valentine Roosevelt's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Claude Valentine Roosevelt you’ll never forget.
How did Claude Valentine Roosevelt make you smile?