Hollywood star Tom Cruise is now a decorated naval hero!
On Tuesday, December 17, the Mission: Impossible star was honored by the US Navy for his “outstanding contributions to the Navy and the Marine Corps” with his film Top Gun.
In the movie, the actor plays LT Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a US Navy aviator. His character was loosely based on an American former politician, Duke Cunningham, and his accomplishments during the Vietnam War.
The 62-year-old actor was honored with the Distinguished Public Service Award by Carlos Del Toro, the US Secretary of the Navy, in a ceremony held at Longcross Studios near London.
This highly prestigious title has been designated to the civilians for their acts of heroism and support for navy.
Delivering an acceptance speech, Tom Cruise expressed gratitude and stated that he was proud to be recognized with the “extraordinary acknowledgement.”
“I accept this on behalf of not just myself, but our entire cast and crew, writers, directors, studies and Hollywood, who are so dedicated to helping,” said the Jack Reacher actor.
He continued, “I admire all of the servicemen and women. I know in life, something that is very true to me, is that is to lead is to serve. And I know that to my core. And I see that in the servicemen and women and I appreciate that. It’s a true honor to represent them.”
The navy stated that the actor had “increased public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform.”
To note, Tom Cruise will appear again on the big screen in May 2025 with his upcoming film Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning.
