Gay WWII Veteran Tells Harrowing Tale of Survival in Animated Short

A new animated short tells the gripping story of a gay man's survival during World War II.

Edward Field, now 96, was a 21-year-old navigator in the U.S. Air Force when his plane, part of a raid on Nazis, took fire over Germany during one of his 27 missions.

Minor Accident of War, directed by his niece Diane Weis, illustrates the harrowing experience as the aircraft crash-landed into the North Sea and its passengers sought to stay alive in the freezing water.

Weis made the film in order to honor her uncle after the passing of Neil, his partner of 45 years, and in response to the Trump administration's attack on transgender troops. She told The Advocate she hopes his story will inspire others in a time of far-right resurgence.

"He is a hero on so many fronts and has been an inspiration to me and many others. It has been such an incredible experience sharing his story with the world," Weis says of directing the short, which is in contention at this year's Academy Awards.

Minor Accident of War is inspired by a 1967 poem written by Field, who also narrates the production. In addition to his military service, Field is a distinguished poet who has been honored with the Lamont Poetry Award, a Lambda Award, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Additionally, Field penned To Be Alive, a short documentary that won an Oscar in 1966.

Watch Minor Accident of War below.