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The following is an article from the book Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Salutes the Armed Forces. It was selected to run today on the 67th anniversary of the Allied Invasion of Normandy, also known as D-day.
“The boy’s alive and we’re going to send someone to save him…and we’re going to get him the hell out of there.” -from Saving Private Ryan
FACT OR FICTION?
In 1998 Saving Private Ryan gave moviegoers an infantryman’s view of the 1944 invasion of Normandy on D-day. The film follows Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) and the survivors of his unit as they battle their way onto Omaha Beach. Then, instead of getting a hoped-for rest, they get another dangerous assignment -to go behind enemy lines and find a missing soldier, Private James Ryan (Matt Damon). Private Ryan’s three brothers have all recently died in combat and, in accordance with War Office policy, the last living son must return home alive to his family. Private Ryan must be “saved.”
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan won five Academy Awards and the admiration of World War II veterans who said the movie faithfully depicted their experiences. The film renewed interest in the men who fought at Normandy, but filmgoers also wanted to know of there was a real-life Private Ryan.
THE REAL PRIVATE RYAN
Sergeant Frederick "Fritz" Niland
The fictional Private Ryan was inspired by Sergeant Frederick “Fritz” Niland -a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division and 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. Just after midnight on D-day, June 6, 1944, a plane dropped Sergeant Niland into France. He was supposed to land near the city of Carentan, but -like Private Ryan- got “lost” when his plane was hit by enemy fire and he had to jump miles away from his target.
Fritz, 24, was born in Tonawanda, New York, the youngest of four brothers, from oldest to youngest, Edward, Preston, Robert, and Fritz. Their mother Augusta “Gussie” Niland, later recalled that the brothers had always been best of friends. They graduated from Tonawanda High School and attended local colleges, but they were all attracted to military service. Their father had been a Rough Rider with Teddy Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War, and they grew up listening to his war tales. By spring 1944, they were all overseas: Robert was a mortar sergeant in the 82nd Airborne, Preston was a lieutenant in the 4th Infantry Division, and Edward was flying B-25s for the Army Air Force in the Pacific. Robert, Preston, and Fritz were all stationed in England, waiting for the invasion of Europe.
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This June 6th marks the 65th anniversary of one of the most iconic battles of World War 2: Operation Overlord, more commonly known as D-Day. It is the largest amphibious military operation in history, and the resulting allied success in liberating Paris marked the beginning of the end of the German war machine.
From the archives of Life magazine comes a collection of magnificent photos associated with D-Day, some showing soldiers in a lighter moment, others the chaos of battle.
From the Upcoming 
ueue, submitted by 
This short film was created in 4 days by 3 Graphic Designers on a shoe string budget for the timewatch program “Bloody Omaha”. The final graphics are quite spectacular.
Video: Youtube
