Fictional character and the title protagonist of the 1986 novel by Winston Groom, Robert Zemeckis' 1994 film of the same name, and Gump and Co., the written sequel to Groom's novel. In the film, Forrest is a college football All-American kick returner, Vietnam veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, champion international ping pong player, businessman, and philanthropist whose accomplishments and pursuits bring him to experience critical events in the 20th century, and meet various significant people, including Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon