First-ever documentary about the making of the Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor: The History will premiere on the Pentagon Channel ® this July 4 at 8 P.M. It will air on a rotating broadcast cycle on the Independence Day Holiday to ensure armed forces personnel in all time zones have the opportunity to view it.

The film is narrated by Gary Sinise and shot on location across the United States featuring never before seen documents, photographs and interviews with armed forces and congressional historians. It also illustrates the craftsmanship that goes into creating the nation’s highest award. It was produced by the 2014 Knoxville Medal of Honor Convention as a legacy project to donate to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

“Medal of Honor: The History” is the first history that’s been done on the nation’s highest award,” said American Way Productions’ CEO Tony Romano. “After viewing it and seeing the phenomenal work that went into creating it, we immediately started seeking arrangements with the 2014 Knoxville Medal of Honor Convention to present it to The Pentagon Channel for a holiday broadcast to our troops. It will air to an audience of 33 million households in America in addition to all military installations, Navy ships and U.S. service personnel stationed abroad.”

American Way Productions based in Connecticut provides exclusive original content to The Pentagon Channel. The channel is broadcast on the American Forces Radio and Television Service, AFRTS, which provides stateside radio and television programming to U.S. service men and women, DOD civilians, and their families serving outside the continental United States. It’s broadcast to more than 175 countries and U.S. territories, and on board U.S. Navy ships.

TPC’s Operations Manager, Scott Howe says “although there have been many programs created about Medal of Honor recipients, this one is about the medal itself. There are many medals now for both valor and meritorious service, with the Medal of Honor topping the list. But the story of how it came to be will surprise you.”

The film was produced and written by Ed Hooper, who has written columns for the History News Network in the past. The documentary took more than a year for him and a crew from Rivr Media Interactive studios in Knoxville to produce. It was screened in March at the U.S. Supreme Court for recipients at a National Medal of Honor Day event. The film was well received by the recipients.

“It was outstanding to watch,” Vietnam Medal recipient Bruce Crandall said. “The film is going to be a lasting project that we can use in schools across the country and reach a younger generation with this.”

Crandall received his Medal of Honor for actions as a helicopter pilot in the Battle of la Drang that was the subject of the 2002 film “We were Soldiers” starring Mel Gibson.

The film will be made available to other cable networks following its Pentagon Channel premiere.