Tom Cruise Receives Top US Navy Honor

Tom Cruise's legendary fictional character, Maverick from Top Gun, has now been recognized as a decorated naval hero in the United States. On Tuesday, Cruise received the U.S. Navy's highest civilian honor for his "exceptional contributions to the Navy and the Marine Corps" through the Top Gun franchise and other films.

The Honor came in a ceremony at Longcross Studios near London-presided over by US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro where the Distinguished Public Service Award was presented to Cruise. The actor has been working in the UK.

The 62-year-old actor expressed his pride in receiving the "extraordinary acknowledgement." The award included both a medal and a certificate.

Cruise stated, “I admire all of the servicemen and women.”

“I know in life, something that is very true to me is that to lead is to serve. And I know that to my core. And I see that in the servicemen and women,” he added.

The US Navy stated Cruise had “increased public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform.”

The 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, which showcased Cold War-era flying aces, catapulted Tom Cruise to stardom and sparked a surge in military enlistments. In fact, the Navy set up recruitment tables in theaters to capitalize on the film's popularity.

The 2022 sequel to the original movie, "Top Gun: Maverick," rekindled an interest in the film wherein Cruise's character was cast in a mentoring role to another generation of elite aviators.

The Navy stated the sequel “brought nostalgia to older audiences and reinvigorated the minds of newer audience members, effectively targeting a younger audience's interest in the skill sets and opportunities the Navy can provide.”

Cruise was awarded honors for his performances in the movies "Born on the Fourth of July," "A Few Good Man," and "Mission: Impossible."

Cruise's next on-screen adventure, "Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning". It will be released in May 2025. Apart from that, the above-mentioned actor will also star in Judy, a black comedy-drama by Alejandro Inarritu, as well as in an unnamed space project of SpaceX, looking into filming in outer space, which he is expected to line up for the next year.