Los Angeles, Dec 18: Hollywood star Tom Cruise has been feted with the US Navy's highest civilian honour for his "outstanding contributions" to the military with his work on screen. It was with the 1986’s blockbuster “Top Gun”, Cruise shot to fame, and the film's record breaking success spiked military enlistment. The Distinguished Public Service Award was presented to Cruise during a ceremony on Tuesday at the Longcross Film Studios in Chertsey, Surrey, reports bb.com.

The 62-year-old star expressed his gratitude for the "extraordinary acknowledgement". "I admire all of the servicemen and women," Cruise said, while standing next to US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, who handed him a certificate and medal. Cruise shared that for him “lead is to serve.” "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."

The Navy thanked the Hollywood star, who it said had "increased public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform". Cruise starred as the pilot Maverick in Top Gun, a movie about Cold War flying aces, and it was so influential that the Navy even set up recruitment tables in theatres. He then reprised his role as Lieutenant Pete Mitchell in the 2022 sequel “Top Gun: Maverick”, which the Navy said "reinvigorated" military interest from younger audiences.

On Tuesday, Del Toro said: "Tom Cruise has spent nearly four decades as an unwavering supporter of the men, women and families of the navy and marine corps." Cruise was also celebrated for his roles in action hits “Born on the Fourth of July”, “A Few Good Men” and the “Mission: Impossible” series. Cruise was in Chertsey, Surrey while working on his next film “Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning”, which is set to release in May 2025. The prestigious civilian honour was previously awarded to names such as Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks for their film World War II "Saving Private Ryan".