Veteran’s Day began as a celebration of World War I veterans, and it has since become a day to remember and pay respect to all those who serve in our military. Countless lives have been sacrificed by military personnel to preserve our freedom. Many leave their families to travel to foreign nations not knowing if they will return to see them again. This day honors them and all they do. There have been lots of great films made to portray the life of a soldier, and watching these films is a great way to celebrate the day.

Saving Private Ryan

This movie shows the impact of war on the family left behind. When a mother is set to receive the heartbreaking news of three of her sons’ deaths on the same day, a mission is born: Bring her last son back home. All but one brother was killed in action in World War II, and a company of soldiers is sent to bring the last brother home.

Glory

The Civil War was more than battles on fields. The first all black company was recruited to fight for the Union, and emotions heightened when they were not allowed to perform on the battlefield. They were used for manual labor, denied the same supplies as white soldiers and paid less than white soldiers. Despite these inequalities, the soldiers fought for the freedom of all.

Black Hawk Down

An invasion of Somalia to take out some top warlords was executed by Army Rangers in this blockbuster film starring Josh Hartnett. When the Black Hawk helicopters who brought the men in the city are taken down in the attack, acts of heroism are demonstrated by the Rangers in their efforts to save the soldiers on board the choppers.

The Patriot

Mel Gibson demonstrates how a man’s family is not to be messed with, even in the name of war. The American Revolution was fought to bring the birth of a new nation to the attention of the world. When a man known for his courage, bravery and even savagery in the French and Indian War seems to have become a passivist, his son goes off to join the war. Events unfold and a British officer murders the man’s younger son. This causes the man to unleash the savage inside him once again, and he takes his revenge to the battlefield.

Fly Boys

Before America tossed it’s hand into the fight of World War I, young men wanted to find a way to help the cause. This film shows a group of young Americans going to France to become a heroic group of fighter pilots. The Lafayette Escadrille was a group of volunteers, mostly Americans, that took the fight to the air.