10 Heroic Death Scenes

In honor of Memorial Day, Fox411.com presents the most heroic deaths ever to occur on the big screen.

Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) utters "James... earn this. Earn it" to PFC James Ryan (Matt Damon) during his sacrificial death by German bullets. (Paramount/1998)

Civil war soldier Pvt. Trip (Denzel Washington) dies heroically in battle, keeping the American flag upright despite a hail of rebel bullets. (TriStar Pictures/1989)

Upon realizing his aid to the enemy, British Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness) exclaims "What have I done?" Mortally wounded, he falls onto a dynamite plunger, blowing up the bridge he had spent months building for the Japanese. (Columbia Pictures/1957)

After reporting an unethical solider, Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) is shot and then mowed down by enemy bullets in Vietnam. (Metro Goldwyn Mayer/1986)

Katczinsky (Louis Wolheim) AKA Kat, is hit by shrapnel at the end of the movie. After being carried back to camp, Paul (Lew Ayres) discovers Kat is dead -- a stray splinter had pierced his head. (Universal/1930)

Forrest's (Tom Hanks) best friend Bubba (Mykelti Williamson) dies tragically in Vietnam when their platoon is attacked. Forrest is inspired to save several members of the unit. (Paramount/1994)

Innocent French soldiers Corporal Paris (Ralph Meeker), Arnaud (Joe Turkel) and Prival Ferol (Timothy Carey) are executed by firing squad in a poignant scene. (United Artists/1957)

Scottish rebel William Wallace (Mel Gibson) is tortured and killed for his cause. He would not cry "Mercy" as commanded, but instead yelled "FREEEEEDOOOOMMMMMM" before being beheaded (offscreen). (Paramount/1995)

Air Force pilots Rafe (Ben Affleck) and Danny (Josh Hartnett) are captured by the Japanese in this WWII flick. As Rafe is about to be shot, Danny knocks the soldiers over and is killed. (Touchstone/2001)

U.S. Army Private Witt (James Caviezel) acts as a decoy to attract the Japanese away from his fellow soldiers. As the enemy moves in, he raises his rifle and is killed. (20th Century Fox/1998)