Debt Of Honor: Disabled Veterans In American History

PBS presents “Debt Of Honor: Disabled Veterans In American History,” a documentary film by six-time Emmy Award-winning director Ric Burns, that premiered in 2015, as part of PBS Stories of Service.

The film examines the way in which the American government and society as a whole have regarded disabled veterans throughout history, beginning in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War and continuing through today’s conflicts in the Middle East.

The film combines personal stories, told by distinguished disabled veterans, with deep history narrated by leading scholars in the fields of disability studies, history and psychology to illustrate the human cost of war and the enormous sacrifices of military service.

These sacrifices are brought to life through hundreds of carefully curated still images and archival footage from across the country.

“The goal of this film is to try to understand the realities and challenges that disabled veterans have faced throughout history and continue to face today,” says Burns. “There is a real necessity to bridge the gap between civilians and those who have served in the military. It is our hope that the film will encourage a candid discussion in communities across the country, and create understanding and awareness of the sacrifices involved in military service.”

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Disabled WWI veteran at Walter Reed General Hospital, c. 1919.

Courtesy of the Otis Historical Archives, National Museum of Health and Medicine

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A disabled veteran is taught woodworking as part of a vocational training program.

Courtesy of the Otis Historical Archives, National Museum of Health & Medicine

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Revolutionary War veteran Adam Link, photographed at age 102, 1864.

Courtesy of the Library of Congress

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Revolutionary War veteran William Hutchings, photographed at age 100, 1864.

Courtesy of the Library of Congress

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An American soldier collapses in his hands from the strain of fighting along the Taegu front, South Korea, 1950.

Courtesy of Bettman/Corbis

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Max Cleland recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, c. 1968.

Courtesy of the Max Cleland Collection, Stetson University Archives

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Max Cleland, Captain U.S. Army, ret. Administrator U.S. Veterans Administration, 1977–1981 Senator, Georgia, 1997–2003.

Courtesy of Steeplechase Films

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Tammy Duckworth, Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Army, ret. Representative, Illinois 8th Congressional District.

Courtesy of Steeplechase Films

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J.R. Martinez, Private U.S. Army, ret. Author, Actor, Motivational Speaker.

Courtesy of Steeplechase Films

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Gregory Gadson, Colonel U.S. Army, ret. Commander of Fort Belvoir, 2012–2014

Courtesy of Steeplechase Films

“As a Vietnam veteran, I believe this initiative will help in bridging the divide between the military and public,” says NEH Chairman William Adams. "NEH is committed to projects that use the humanities to inspire public discussion of the important issues of our time, and this new film offers a compelling way to open up meaningful dialogue about the service and sacrifice of disabled veterans.”

Lois Pope, a noted philanthropist and the film’s underwriter, says, “This film is about the human costs of war. It should serve to remind and educate all of us about the courageous men and women who have sacrificed parts of their bodies and minds fighting for our country.”

A poignant tribute to the history of disabled veterans in the U.S., “Debt Of Honor: Disabled Veterans In American History,” is an unflinching portrait of the realities of warfare and disabilities.

The program features illuminating interviews with some of the country’s most prominent disabled veterans, including: U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth (Illinois); former U.S. Senator and Veterans Affairs Administrator Max Cleland (Georgia); former Garrison Commander of Fort Belvoir, Col. Gregory Gadson; and actor, motivational speaker and Iraq War Army veteran J.R. Martinez.

Gadson, a double amputee veteran of the war in Iraq who shares his experiences on camera, calls "Debt Of Honor" “one of the most accurate and balanced productions I have ever seen. It should be mandatory viewing for all high school civics classes.”

The diverse group of scholars and military and medical experts who have participated in the film includes:

• Beth Linker, University of Pennsylvania professor and author of "War’s Waste: Rehabilitation in World War I America"
• David A. Gerber, director emeritus of the Center for Disability Studies at the University of Buffalo, State University of New York
• Dr. Charles Marmar, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at New York University and director of the PTSD Research Program at NYU Langone Medical Center
• James Wright, president emeritus of Dartmouth College
• David Blight, professor of American history at Yale University.
• Admiral Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Watch On Your Schedule:

This film is available to stream on demand through Nov. 10, 2021.

Credits:

A production of Steeplechase Films. Directed by Ric Burns. Produced by Ric Burns, Bonnie Lafave and Nat Rosa. Co-producer, Josh Woltermann. Edited by Mikaela Shwer. WETA is the presenting station. Funding was provided by Lois Pope. National Outreach supported by a grant from The National Endowment of Humanities.