Tom Cruise receives US navy honour for Top Gun 'recruitment boost' Tom Cruise has been presented with the US navy's highest civilian award, for "boosting the force's recruitment of pilots" thanks to his performance in Top Gun.
The US navy secretary, who stopped at the studios on his way to visit US forces in Bahrain, gave the award to Cruise for his "exceptional and wide-ranging contributions made to the department of the navy from 1986 to 2023".
Speaking to an audience of Hollywood professionals and US navy staff, he said: "Tom Cruise has spent nearly four decades as an unwavering supporter of the men, women and families of the navy and marine corps.
US navy secretary Carlos Del Toro said the original action film, about a young naval aviator who trains at the force's fighter weapons school, had "significantly increased" recruitment numbers since its release in 1986.
The Hollywood star, who played Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the hit film, was presented with the Distinguished Public Service Award - given for acts of heroism or support - at a ceremony held at the Longcross Film Studios in Chertsey, Surrey.
