Hollywood has a recurring theme. A lone man battles against overwhelming odds. A decision, made in a moment, alters the course of a battle and a war. Such narratives are common in war movies. But this story type was not crafted by screenwriters. It mirrors the tales found in Medal of Honor citations.

Influence of Medal of Honor Stories on War Films

Medal of Honor stories form the core of many renowned war films from Hollywood. The first recipients, known as the Andrews’ Raiders, attempted a daring train heist. Their story was immortalized in 1956’s film, The Great Locomotive Chase. Audie Murphy, another Medal of Honor recipient, portrayed himself in To Hell and Back (1955). This film depicted his heroic defense against German forces in France in 1945. Murphy continued his acting career in 40 more films.

Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down (2001) recounts a harrowing day in 1993 Mogadishu, Somalia. Delta Force snipers, Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart, defended a downed helicopter pilot at the cost of their lives.

Not all stories follow typical Hollywood patterns. Hacksaw Ridge (2016) spotlights Desmond Doss, a medic who saved 75 soldiers under fire without carrying a weapon. This film, featuring Andrew Garfield, challenged the genre norms and won two Academy Awards.

Why Hollywood is Drawn to Medal of Honor Stories

Hollywood values these tales not only for their action and adventure. Their allure lies in the truth of the narratives and the real lives of the men involved. Medal of Honor stories have been vividly portrayed through archival footage, reenactments, interviews, and star performances in numerous films and TV series.

Films Featuring Medal of Honor Stories

• The General (1926)
• The Fighting 69th (1940)
• Sergeant York (1941)
• Buffalo Bill (1944)
• Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)
• Captain Eddie (1945)
• The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955)
• To Hell and Back (1955)
• The Great Locomotive Chase (1956)
• The Spirit of St. Louis (1957)
• The Longest Day (1962)
• The November Plan (1976)
• MacArthur (1977)
• In Love and War (1987)
• Glory (1989)
• Gettysburg (1993)
• Rough Riders (1997)
• Black Hawk Down (2001)
• The Lost Battalion (2001)
• Pearl Harbor (2001)
• We Were Soldiers (2002)
• Medal of Honor, documentary (2008)
• The Pacific (2010)
• Lone Survivor (2013)
• Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
• Medal of Honor, Netflix documentary (2018)
• The Last Full Measure (2019)
• Midway (2019)
• Devotion (2022)