The Vietnam War was a turbulent time for many young servicemen who were drafted into a war situation they didn’t want. Many were treated with contempt by anti-war protesters when they were among those lucky enough to return home. However, not everyone was happy with this treatment of American soldiers. This included a man named John “Chickie” Donohue. Donohue is the subject of the upcoming film, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, based on his memoir of the same name.

Peter Farrelly directs and co-wrote the film The Farrelly Brothers created some of the most successful slapstick “road trip” centric films of the 90s, The Greatest Beer Run Ever seems a simple enough concept as well. Donohue noticed the treatment soldiers fighting in the Vietnam received. They were not only fighting a war overseas. They faced another at home when they came back and faced protests and anger from many American citizens.

Despite what anyone thinks of Vietnam and whether or not American soldiers should have been over there in the first place is not the story here. What is, was Donohue wanted his friends in the line of fire to know he had their back. He decided to sneak into the war zone to give them a beer. The task, of course, is more dangerous and difficult than it looked on paper.

The film stars Zac Efran as Chickie, with Russell Crowe and Bill Murray among the cast. The coolest part about this movie is knowing Chickie Donohue is a real guy. A veteran himself, he made this run in 1967. Since his beer of choice for the run was good old PBR, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Makuhari Media made a short documentary-style piece in 2015 about the event.

Here’s Chickie’s story:

Pabst isn’t the only one recognize huge act of friendship.Dark Docs put together their own piece about the story put together by in 2019:

The American experience has always been a completely unique thing. Despite all of our nation’s flaws, it is guys like Chickie Donohue who had the gumption, courage and flat out insanity to bring a little brotherly love from home to his pals fighting overseas.

Here’s to you Chickie, a man his friend Tom Collins (one of the ones to be blessed with a beer from home) called in a story in War History Online “one of the nicest but craziest guys you ever want to meet.” You are what the American spirit is all about.

Cheers.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever comes to theatres and Apple TV streaming service Sept. 30.