Whether you know him from A Star Is Born or The Big Lebowski, Sam Elliot is a world-renowned actor. The Acadamy Award-nominated man was on a PBS special to bring honor to those who deserved it most.

The special was focused on those selfless heroes who fought during World War II. Veteran Sargent Ray Lambert was just one of the brave men that faced unforeseen horror during D-Day. It was finally time for the world to hear his story.

Sam Elliot retold Lambert’s tale in great detail. The emotions run deep, and the unimaginable moments feel earth-shattering. Lambert tells of how the one thing that got him through was knowing this his men needed him.

Knowing that he had to do what he was trained to do to survive, Ray wanted to shed light on those who didn’t make it. He tells how important it is to tell their stories, what they missed out on, and how courageous they really were.