Kate Scanlon / @scanlon_kate / May 20, 2015
This week, The Heritage Foundation will host the debut of the film“Honoring a Commitment: The Story of PFC Gordon.”
“Honoring a Commitment” is a feature-length film about Pfc. Lawrence Gordon, who went missing in action during World War II.
Gordon, a Canadian citizen, enlisted in the United States Army not long after Pearl Harbor was bombed on Dec. 7, 1941.
Gordon served in the Reconnaissance Company, 32nd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division. In August of 1944, he was listed as missing in action while in Normandy.
His family was given only his wallet. They would have to wait almost 70 years to discover what happened to his body.
“Honoring a Commitment” is the story of their search.
Jed Henry, the producer of the film, told The Daily Signal in an interview that the film “was never supposed to be a documentary.”
“It just sort of turned out that way,” he said.
During a trip to Europe to learn about his grandfather’s service in World War II, Henry discovered that Gordon was the only member of the unit who was still listed as missing.
Henry contacted Gordon’s family—including a nephew who had been named Lawrence in honor of his uncle—and they decided to see if they could determine what had happened to him.
“This is worth a look, to see if there’s anything we can do about this,” he said.
They initially started recording friends and family discussing Gordon and the search for them to show the “humanitarian” side of the story to the various U.S. agencies and foreign governments they asked for help.
“It started out as a small little video to explain why the family wants this,” said Henry. “After 70 years, there’s a lot of skepticism, and people asking ‘What are you hoping to accomplish?’”
After an extensive search by the team of “rank amateurs,” Gordon’s remains were finally found.
After he was killed, Gordon was misidentified as a German, and was laid to rest in a French cemetery for German soldiers.
French authorities performed a DNA test. Gordon had been found.
Henry said that Gordon’s story is “a case study,” showing that the process of finding the remains of those who are missing in action “hasn’t kept up with modern technology.”
He said that he hopes that the film “sheds light on the MIA community.”
“I hope it opens people’s eyes to the inefficiency,” said Henry. “I don’t think we’re fulfilling the promise to bring everyone home.”
Henry, who has years of experience in the television industry, has never distributed a film before.
“This is a new venture for me,” he said.
The film has been submitted in film festivals, but distribution “is still in the works.”
“We’re looking for places to spread the word,” said Henry. “The debut is exciting for us.”
The Heritage Foundation, in partnership with National Review, will screen “Honoring a Commitment: on Thursday, May 21 at 4:00 p.m. in Heritage’s Lehrman Auditorium.
