Tom Cruise
'Top Gun' star receives top Navy honor
Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick.
© 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation.
The US Navy has awarded Hollywood star Tom Cruise its highest civilian award – in gratitude for his services to the Navy.
Hollywood star Tom Cruise (62) has received its highest civilian award from the US Navy. At a ceremony at Longcross Studios near London, US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro (63) presented the actor with the so-called “Distinguished Public Service Award”. The award recognizes exceptional service to the Navy by civilians over an extended period of time.
“It is an honor to recognize Mr. Tom Cruise for his continued support of our Navy & Marine Corps team,” wrote Del Toro on X (formerly Twitter) to some photos from the ceremony. “Your work has inspired generations to serve our country!”
With “Top Gun” the number of recruits increased
With “Top Gun” in 1986, Cruise created an iconic military film that still has an impact today. The film about elite Navy fighter pilots not only became a box office hit, but also led to a sharp increase in the number of recruits. The Navy even set up information stands in movie theaters back then.
In 2022, the sequel “Top Gun: Maverick” seamlessly continued this success. The film, in which Cruise's character trains a new generation of fighter pilots, grossed over $1.4 billion worldwide. As with the first part, Cruise worked closely with the Navy to ensure the most authentic portrayal possible.
In the Illustrator Society
With the award, Cruise joins an illustrious group of honorees. Previous recipients include filmmaker Steven Spielberg (77) and Oscar winner Tom Hanks (68), who were honored in 1999 for their war drama “Saving Private Ryan”.
The Navy Cruise and “Top Gun” producer had already elected Jerry Bruckheimer (81) as an honorary naval pilot in 2020. At the time, the US armed forces acknowledged that the “Top Gun” films “significantly promoted naval aviation and anchored aircraft carriers and naval aircraft in popular culture.”
