Saluting Spielberg

“I’m in the Army now,” joked filmmaker Steven Spielberg, right, as Defense Secretary William Cohen pinned the Medal for Distinguished Public Service on his chest at a Pentagon ceremony. Spielberg, who won five Oscars for his World War II epic “Saving Private Ryan,” collected the military’s highest civilian honor for making “a historic contribution to the national consciousness.” He said his goal in making the movie was to “remember unsparingly the sacrifices of my father’s generation” while trying to help his children’s generation understand the importance of World War II. Spielberg’s father served on B-25 bombers. Cohen called the film an “emotional catharsis,” particularly for World War II veterans.