In The Greatest Beer Run Ever, a war movie on Apple TV+, John “Chickie” Donohue is a US Marine Corps veteran who travels to Vietnam during the Vietnam War to thank his friends stationed there with cans of beer.
Chickie wants to meet up with six of his soldier friends and find out what happened to his close friend Tommy Minogue, who disappeared from a war zone without a trace. Since Chickie was the one who got Tommy to join the army, Tommy feels responsible for what will happen to his friend. The audience is probably curious if Tommy really was a soldier and what really happened to him. Let’s talk about what we found!
In The Largest Beer Run Ever, a war movie on Apple TV+, John “Chickie” Donohue is a US Marine Corps veteran who travels to Vietnam during the Vietnam War to thank his friends stationed there with cans of beer. Chickie wants to meet six of his soldier friends and find out what happened to his best friend Tommy Minogue, who disappeared from a war zone. Because Chickie was the one who got Tommy into joining the military, Tommy feels responsible for his friend’s life. People will want to know if Tommy was a real soldier and what really happened to him. Let’s talk about what the answers are!
Was Tommy Minogue once a real soldier?
Thomas Francis Minogue, also known as Tommy Minogue, was a real soldier in the past. Since Chickie and his friends are friends with Tommy’s older brother Jack, they consider Tommy their “little brother”. “Tommy used to be brave, but he was a sugar kid. He used to be big, but he never thought twice about teasing anyone. “He certainly didn’t need anyone to feel really left out, and he found a way to play group sports at Inwood Park or play street video games with kids that nobody else had to play with,” Chickie wrote of his pal in The Largest Beer “. Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty, and Battle,” the film’s source code.
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The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund gets the score
Tommy joined the US military when he was 19 and one month old. He was a platoon medic in the 2nd Battalion, 35th Military Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. He was sent to Kon Tum province, which is in the central highlands and is close to the Vietnam-Laos border.
How did Tommy Minogue die?
On March 21, 1967, Tommy Minogue died in a car accident. According to his comrades, Minogue and his group were attacked by North Vietnamese soldiers. After killing many of the company’s infantrymen, the enemy infantrymen reportedly tried to kill the company’s commanding officer, Captain Ronald Rykowski, so they could attack the rest of the American infantrymen. As a platoon medic, Tommy tended to his comrades and fired back as the attack took place. Since the commanding officer was the only one who could call in air support, slanting fire, and a medevac, Tommy knew it was important to protect him for the good of his company.
According to what people saw, Tommy ran through a hundred feet of enemy fire to protect his commanding officer, Rykowski, and treat his wounds. As the enemy attack worsened, Tommy reportedly used his own body to protect his commanding officer and was shot more than once in the process. Although Tommy was injured, he worked with a radio operator to get his awesome officer somewhere safer. As the enemy infantrymen kept coming their way, Tommy again covered his commanding officer’s body. Tommy did his best to respect his reverence until he died from the gunshot wounds that killed him.
Rykowski and the radio operator were able to continue operating the command post and telephone for air and artillery support because of Tommy’s sacrifice. This saved the lives of a number of US infantrymen. Tommy received the Prominent Provider Medal after dying for his courage and sacrifice that saved the lives of his fellow Americans. Chickie and his friends used to get together all the time to remember Tommy. Tommy’s name was added to the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Farmingdale, Long Island in 2021. It is now called the Thomas F. Minogue Armed Forces Reserve Center.
Over time, Tommy’s friends, like Chickie, have pushed for him to receive the Medal of Honor, the finest and most prestigious military award given to soldiers who have done brave things.
The President of the United States of America is proud to award Private First Class Thomas Francis Minogue (ASN: 51608891), U.S. Army, the Distinguished Service Cross (posthumously) for exceptional heroism in action during military operations involving conflict with an armed enemy force in the Republic of Vietnam on March 21, 1967 while serving as Platoon M. This was made possible by an Act of Congress dated July 9, 1918, which was amended by an Act of Congress dated July 25, 1963. His unit was on a search and destroy mission in Kontum Province, Republic of Vietnam, when they encountered a major enemy force. When the company commander was badly injured, Private Minogue ran a hundred feet through heavy enemy fire to protect him and treat his wounds. As the enemy stormed the position, ignoring the danger, they threw themselves at their leader, resulting in him being shot several times. His selfless actions also helped protect the radio operator, who fought off the enemy with rifle and hand grenades and spoke to the platoons and battalion command. Private Minogue continued to cover his commander with his body while he and the radio operator moved him to a safer location. As the enemy attacked their new position, he again placed his body over that of the commander, protecting the radio operator. The company commander sometimes woke up long enough to cheer on his men and make changes to air and artillery support. Private Minogue continued to help him until his own wounds became too much for him. His extraordinary bravery not only saved the lives of the radio operator and the company commander, but also allowed them to continue to lead the command post. Showing his bravery and skill, the company would not have made it until a relief force arrived and forced the enemy to break contact if he had not been able to lead the command post. Private Minogue’s hard work and dedication to his job were in keeping with the highest traditions in the military. He, his unit and his country’s armed forces should be very proud of him.
John “Chickie” Donohue, a US Marine Corps veteran who joins his camp as a thank you, travels to Vietnam during the Vietnam War to find out more about his close friend Tommy Minogue, who was kidnapped from a war zone. It’s clear people want to know if Tommy was a real soldier and what he went through.
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Did Tommy Minogue really serve in the army?
The author writes about Tommy’s older brother Jack in The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Loyalty, Loyalty, and War. He never slapped anyone in the face.
Tommy joined the 35th Army Infantry, 25th Infantry Division when he was 19 and one month old. He was a train paramedic in Kon Tum province, near the Vietnam-Laos border.
What happened that Tommy Minogue died?
On March 21, 1967, Tommy Minogue was killed in action. According to his comrades, North Vietnamese soldiers attacked Minogue and his company because they wanted to kill Captain Ronald Rykowski, who was in charge of the company. During the attack, Tommy prepared to help his comrades and answer the call for a medevac.
Sources say that Tommy covered his commanding officer with his body, suffering many gunshot wounds in the process. Despite being injured, Tommy became a radio operator so his supervisor could move to a safer location.
Tommy received the Distinguished Service Cross for his courage and sacrifice, which saved the lives of many other US soldiers. In 2021, the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Farmingdale, Long Island, got a new name. It used to be called the Thomas F. Minogue Center.
Tommy’s friends, like Chickie, have been pushing for him to receive the Medal of Honor, the most prestigious military decoration given to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by doing brave things.
The ceremony naming the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Farmingdale, New York after Minogue was conducted by the US Army Reserve’s 99th Readiness Division.
Minogue was born in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan. On March 21, 1967, he was killed in action while serving with the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. He used his own body to shield his wounded company commander from enemy machine gun fire.
From May 2012 to November 2025, people around the world will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. It honors the 2.7 million men and women who served in Vietnam during the war.
“PFC Minogue was one of more than 58,000 soldiers who never came back from Vietnam to kiss and hug their families,” said Maj. Gen. Mark Palzer, who was in charge of the 99th Standby Division.
“I thank and honor PFC Minogue and his Vietnam Veterans for everything they have done.”
Andrew Lombardo, command sergeant major, US Reserve Army, said: “When I hear of his exploits, I feel a sense of pride and patriotism that makes me glad I answered my country’s call to join the Reserve Army.”
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