Top Gun star Tom Cruise receives US Navy's Highest Civilian Award; read reports

The world's best-known fictional Top Gun is now a renowned navy hero. Tom Cruise received the United States Navy's highest civilian honour on Tuesday for "outstanding contributions to the Navy and the Marine Corps" through "Top Gun" and other films.

Cruise, working in the United Kingdom, received the Distinguished Public Service Award from United States Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro during a ceremony at Longcross Studios near London.

The 62-year-old actor said he was honoured to receive the "extraordinary acknowledgement," which included a medal and certificate.

“I admire all of the servicemen and women," Cruise said. “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."

The navy said Cruise had “increased public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform." 

"Top Gun," a huge hit 1986 film about Cold War flying aces, made Cruise a star and increased military membership. The Navy even installed recruitment tables in cinemas.

The 2022 sequel "Top Gun: Maverick," in which Cruise's character mentors a new generation of elite aviators, piqued interest.

The service said that the follow-up "brought nostalgia to older audiences and reinvigorated the minds of newer audience members, which effectively targeted a younger audience's interest into the skill sets and opportunities the Navy can provide."

Cruise was highly praised for his performances in "Born on the Fourth of July," "A Few Good Men," and the "Mission: Impossible" films.

Cruise's next film, "Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning," is scheduled for release in May 2025.