The Real Private Ryan

The Hollywood story of Saving Private Ryan, elegantly portrays the partial reality behind this event. The real “Ryan” was actually a man from the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division known as Sgt. Fritz Niland. His three brothers were killed in action (KIA) overseas. His mother had received all three telegrams from the war department all in the same day. Sgt. Niland was soon to be removed from the front lines and returned home to his family.

During the parachuting the day before the D-Day invasion at Utah beach Sgt. Niland was dropped way behind enemy lines like much of the 101st Airborne division. Away from the rest of his platoon he found himself with a bunch of strangers. After he was informed of his family’s great lo...