"Sundown to Eleven" follows the extraordinary journey of Richard "Dick" Miralles, a 99-year-old World War II veteran, as he undertakes a poignant final mission: solving a decades-old cold case. The film follows Miralles, the last surviving member of the U.S. Navy’s Air Group 11, as he leads a dedicated team of volunteers from the USS Hornet Museum in his quest to identify a fallen comrade, Commander Frederick R. Schrader, who was shot down in his Hellcat fighter plane over the Pacific in 1944.

 

In a unique twist on the traditional cold case narrative to catch a criminal—this documentary centers on the mission of locating and identifying a fallen hero. As the central figure and narrator, Miralles provides a deeply personal perspective on the impact of missing-in-action cases on Gold Star families and the unwavering efforts of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

 

Through investigations at the National Archives, and modern-day recovery efforts, the documentary captures both Schrader’s heroism and the contributions of those who served with him. Miralles becomes the heart of the film as he revisits his wartime experiences eighty years later at Pearl Harbor, including a symbolic flight in a Dauntless dive-bomber, and receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal—all while approaching his 100th birthday.

 

The documentary reaches a deeply emotional climax with a ceremony in Honolulu, where Commander Frederick R. Schrader is finally laid to rest with full military honors with his daughter presiding and the 80-year-old teddy bear he gave her. "Sundown to Eleven" stands as a tribute to the enduring spirit of service, the unbreakable bonds forged in battle, and the families who continue to uphold the legacy of sacrifice.