The brave ones fought with weapons. The crazy ones fought with cameras.

On October 12, 1967 during Operation Medina, a major reconnaissance operation in the Hai Lang National Forest in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam, Cpl. William T. Perkins Jr. made the ultimate sacrifice when he hurled himself upon an enemy hand grenade to save the lives of his fellow Marines.

Bill Perkins Jr. is the only combat photographer in our nation’s history to receive the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest award for valor.

Thirty years later, his friend Craig Ingraham set out on a journey to discover what happened that day in the Hai Lang forest of Vietnam and along the way, he discovered so much more.

For Craig Ingraham, Bill’s death in 1967 in Vietnam was like a bad dream that wouldn’t go away. The last time he saw Bill, they had a terrible fight over a girl named Denise. She was only a friend and the first girl that Craig ever made love to. But he didn’t know that Bill had deep feelings for her. Tragically, the last time Craig looked into Bill’s eyes, he saw tears, rage, sorrow and betrayal. They would never speak again. These events would haunt Craig for the next 25 years.

ABOVE AND BEYOND – TRAILER

Directed by Craig Ingraham
Produced by Craig Ingraham and Debora Masterson
Edited by John Gilbert, ACE
Director of Photography (Washington, DC & Los Angeles): John Matysiak

Complete Credits

The The Story of Cpl. William T. Perkins Jr. (USMC)

Executive Producer CRAIG INGRAHAM

Directed by CRAIG INGRAHAM

Produced by CRAIG INGRAHAM, DEBORA MASTERSON

Motion Picture Footage and Slides, Vietnam 1966-67
CPL. WILLIAM T. PERKINS, JR. USMC

Medal of Honor Citation read by
DENNIS FRANZ

Edited by
JOHN GILBERT, A.C.E.

Director of Photography (Washington, D.C. & Los Angeles)
JOHN MATYSIAK

Camera Operator/Gaffer (Washington, D.C.)
MATT POLOQUIN

Production Sound Mixer
DOUGLAS V. CARNEY (D.C.)
JEFF KNUDSEN (LA)
CARI SCHJOLIN (LA)

Audio Post
DOUGLAS V. CARNEY

Sound Effects
ELISE SHUTTE

Additional Editing by
JASON SPERLING, JOHN MATYSIAK

Trailer Editor
JONATHAN WILLIAMS

Digital Transfer & Recolorization of Transparencies
NAOMI ROBINS, Pro One LA

ORIGINAL SONGS

“Can’t Stop Now” “Very Lonely People”: Performed by Craig Ingraham; Written, arranged and produced by Craig Ingraham
“Another Place, Another Time”: Performed by Craig Ingraham & Anna Pagan; Written, arranged and produced by Craig Ingraham; All songs © 2006 Space Brothers Music

MUSIC

Excerpt from “Down a Country Lane”; by Aaron Copeland; conducted by Lawrence Matysiak
“Srinigar”: From the album Notes Within Frames; Written by John O’Kennedy & MD Gordy; Arranged & produced by John O’Kennedy; © 1997 RadioBar Music
The Music of Vietnam: © 1994 Celestial Harmonies; (Traditional music of the Vietnamese people)
Tuva Voices from the Center of Asia: (Siberian throat singing); © 1990 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Sacred Tibetan Chant The Monks of Sherab Ling Monastery: Naxos World; © 2003 HNH International, Ltd.; All music used by permission.

WebsiteOLIVER TAYLORDVD Cover byROADWORK DESIGN

Special Thanks to:

Bill Perkins, Sr. & Judy PerkinsMary Elaine “Puzz” Perkins JacobsonDennis AntalFrank LeeJack RufferThe Jim Priddy familyThe Jonathan Winters familyPaul BabinLouis SolisUSMC Combat Correspondents AssociationInternational Combat Camera AssociationBob Long, KNBC – Los AngelesWalt Ford, Leatherneck MagazineBill Wright, Landmark Military MediaJim Connors, Military NewsThe National Archives, Washington D.C.Marine Corps. Historical Museum, Washington D.C.(now at Quantico, VA)Ken Smith-Christmas, Former CuratorGordon Heim, Exhibit SpecialistJim Fairfax, Head, Exhibits UnitNational Park Service, Washington D.C.MPD (Motion Picture Duplicating), Chatsworth CAPro One LA, Jun VillapandoJames Monroe High School, Sepulveda CALos Angeles Pierce CollegeSan Fernando Mission CemeteryDana HahnYVONNE PETERSENWorking Artists

Thanks to everyone who has helped us along the way. This film is dedicated to The Men of Operation Medina and all vets everywhere.

DVD: Directors cut

DVD Special Features

Last reel of motion picture footage shot by Bill Perkins before he died on Operation Medina set to original music by Craig Ingraham
Theatrical trailer
KNBC-4 News coverage of “Bill Perkins Day” with survivors of Operation Medina, Congressman Alex Padilla, and Junior/Senior students in attendance at Bill’s alma mater James Monroe High School in North Hills, CA
Beautifully designed DVD box

BUY THE DVD – $30 (includes shipping)

View full film here on YouTube HERE.

Then in the early 1990’s, Craig had a conversation with his friend Jim Priddy who went into the Marines with Bill on the “buddy” system. Jim expressed doubts about the events surrounding Bill’s death. He wasn’t specific but it was troubling. Sometimes truth is the first casualty of war. Craig resolved to learn the truth.

In 1995, Craig’s journey began in earnest. He contacted Camp Pendleton, Norton Air Force Base and the National Archives. He found among other things, Bill’s service record, the command chronology for Operation Medina and all of the paperwork involved in his recommendations for the Medal of Honor, including the hand-written eyewitness accounts of his heroism. He discovered that there really was confusion regarding the events of October 12, 1967. In fact, he was first recommended for the Navy Cross but upon re-examination of the facts, he was recommended for the Medal of Honor. Then he received a phone call from the National Archives telling him that indeed they did have approximately 2 hours 30 minutes of 16mm motion picture footage shot by Bill during his three months in Vietnam, including Operation Medina which Bill filmed hours before his death. He was also loaned 55 letters and approximately 175 35mm slides and memorabilia from Bill’s mother and father.

In 2003, Craig was invited to the 1st Marines’ Reunion in Washington D.C. A documentary was taking shape, so Craig took a film crew to interview the survivors of Operation Medina. While in D.C., Craig filmed at the Vietnam Memorial Wall and the Marine Corps Historical Museum which had on permanent display the motion picture camera that Bill was holding when he threw himself on the enemy hand grenade. He was joined by partner Debora Masterson who introduced him to Editor John Gilbert, A.C.E. who would eventually edit the documentary.

When Craig was asked what he hopes his film will accomplish, he said, “I hope that this film will help people understand that war and killing in the 21st century is obsolete; there is no reason for it. People around the world can instantaneously communicate with each other. We have the opportunity to learn about and appreciate each other instead of living in fear of one another. And finally, I hope people will see that this is my way of telling Bill how proud I am to have known him and how much we all wish he were here”.

Listen to the filmmaker interviewed for NPR’s “The Story”:

NPR "The Story

Read article about the making of “ABOVE AND BEYOND” from the Society of Camera Operators magazine, Summer 2006.

Channel 4 News Coverage

President Richard M Nixon presenting the
Medal of Honor to Bill’s mother and father.

William (Bill) T. Perkins, Jr. was born August 10, 1947 in Rochester, New York to William and Marilane Perkins. The family moved to Los Angeles, California and he attended Sepulveda Jr. High and graduated from James Monroe High School in 1965. He received many drama awards and was a member of the swim team and the Photography Club. He also became certified in Scuba diving and spent many hours diving off the coast of California and Catalina Island. While attending Pierce College, he was an apprentice at the Valley Music Theater and appeared at the Century City Playhouse. Bill and Jim Priddy joined the Marines on the “buddy system” April 27, 1966. He completed his infantry training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego and Camp Pendleton, California. His interest in photography and cinema led him to the Photography School at Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey. Bill arrived in Vietnam July 12, 1967 and was killed in action exactly three months later October 12, 1967.