Updated on June 8, 2024
Relatives of the family who inspired Saving Private Ryan are reflecting on their late relatives’ legacy as we commemorate the anniversary of the Normandy landings.
Matt Damon's Character and Fritz Niland’s Reality
Buffalo’s local CBS station WIVB recently interviewed members of the Niland family, known for their real World War II experience that Steven Spielberg used as the jumping-off point for his classic drama. The Matt Damon character…he said exactly what Uncle Fritz said when they sent him home
, Preston Niland shared regarding the portrayal of his relative in Saving Private Ryan.
The Real-Life Inspiration Behind Saving Private Ryan
The Niland brothers—Preston, Robert, Fritz, and Edward—all served valiantly during World War II. Tragically, Preston and Robert were killed during the invasion of Normandy on D-Day, while Edward was initially presumed dead but survived as a prisoner of war in the Pacific Theater until 1984.
With the assumption that Fritz was the only remaining brother, he was informed of his siblings’ deaths shortly after D-Day and was subsequently sent home to complete his service away from the front lines.
An Echo of History in Film
In an interview with WIVB, Edward Niland’s son, Preston, recounted how his uncle Fritz’s reaction to being dismissed from military service mirrored that of Private Ryan in the film. The Matt Damon character—my cousin Catie said—he said exactly what Uncle Fritz said when they sent him home
, Preston added. This sentiment is powerfully captured in Saving Private Ryan
when Ryan says, Tell [my mother] that when you found me, I was here with the only brothers I have left. And that there’s no way I was gonna desert them.
The Cinematic Legacy Continues
The film follows Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks) and his unit as they receive the mission to retrieve Private Ryan (Matt Damon) behind enemy lines. Screenwriter Robert Rodat found inspiration not only from reading names on war monument memorials but significantly from Stephen E. Ambrose’s book D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II.
A Family’s Reflection on Heroism and Sacrifice
James Niland, great-nephew of the Niland brothers, poignantly discussed their enduring legacy: They came together to conquer an unthinkable task and really showed the world that nothing is impossible with the American spirit. Those men were legends, and it was a legendary triumph. They'll live on forever.
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