How historically accurate was Saving Private Ryan?

[Tom Houlihan]

From my copy of 101st Airborne: The Screaming Eagles at Normandy, by Mark Bando. MBI Publishing, Osceola, WI (2001) ISBN 0-7603-0855-1:

During World War II, the Niland family of Tonawanda, NY, had four brothers in active military service-in all combat zones. When the oldest brother, Edward, was shot down in a B-25 over Burma, he was listed Missing In Action, presumed dead. On D-Day, another Niland brother, Robert, a paratrooper in Co. D/505th PIR, 82nd Airborne Division, was killed in a battle at Neuville au Plain, north of Saint Mere Eglise. On 7 June (D+1), yet another brother, Lt. Preston Niland, was killed while fighting northwest of Utah Beach with the 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Division. The youngest brother, Frederick "Fritz" Niland, had jumped (typically misdropped) with H/501st, landing near Raffoville, southwest of Carentan. It took Fritz almost a week to fight his way back to his regiment, adn he returned on his own, in time to assault Hill 30 near La Billonnerie with 3.501st on 12 June 1944. Fritz visited the 501st Catholic chaplain, Father Francis L. Sampson, in mid-June. Fritz informed the priest that Robert Niland, his paratrooper brother, had been killed and was buried near Saint Mere Eglise. After visiting the two cemeteries at Saint Mere Eglise, themen discovered that both Rovert and Preston Niland had been killed. When Father Sampson later learned that a third brother in the CBI was presumed dead, he began paperwork, through channels, to have Fritz returned to safer duties in the States. Fritz's cousin, Tom, was an officer in 2/327th GIR, and visited Fritz in Normandy around D+10.

Eddie later returned home from a Japanese prison camp. Mother Niland did not receive all the telegrams the same day, like in the movie, though she did receive them all within a week's time.

Okay, that's it in a nutshell. Hope it helps someone

[Tiger_007]

I don' know if some one have writen here about the Tiger tank being explode it was a great mistake because it look like the whole tuuret just change into a small parts why because it was made from wood i supose. Never it would happen watch it again a whole Turret changes into really tiny parts IMPOSSIBLE. If you ask me

[Panzerkopf]

IMHO Band of Brothers is one of the best WWII movies/series I have ever seen. Much more realistic than SPR, it shows all the shortcomings of the average GI, even the elite paras, up to the "breaking point" under constant artillery shelling. Well there IS rubbish in the series too (the outflanking of the MG42 position in Crossroads where not even a single soldier is protecting a vulnerable flank and the total absence of guards in The Last Patrol) but it's actually VERY enjoyable. The filming is good in general, the performances quite convincing (not Oscar winning though), the equipment as original as it has ever been in movies (I've never thought a jeep could tow a quad .50 cal though but the StuGs and the Jagdpanther look convincing enough), many of the wounds look realistic enough (awesome throat wound in one episode) and in general it is a series that abstained from a lot of the usual american Gung-Ho BS. I know it is not perfect but it is true that I NEVER expected anything like this from american filmmakers. They might be on the right track for the production of REALLY realistic WWII movies in the future, even if they still have a LONG way to go... but it's a start!

[Virgil Hiltz]

Lastly I'm not sure how the last Tiger got stopped...Hanks shoots it with his Colt .45 and there's a P-51 flying overhead BUT - the P-51 isn't a tank-buster...it carried NO rocket racks under its wings (check it out).

In fact, there was a tank buster version

That site has not convinced me. But the point is the plane in the movie was "Clean" ei. no rockets.

Members of the demolitions platoon of the 506th 101st did see P-51s carrying 500lb bombs attack and destroy tanks in the opening days of June 1944. The bomb would have been released before the plane was over the target. there by being clean as it swept over the tank.

[CHRISCHA]

IMHO Band of Brothers is one of the best WWII movies/series I have ever seen. Much more realistic than SPR, it shows all the shortcomings of the average GI, even the elite paras, up to the "breaking point" under constant artillery shelling. Well there IS rubbish in the series too (the outflanking of the MG42 position in Crossroads where not even a single soldier is protecting a vulnerable flank and the total absence of guards in The Last Patrol) but it's actually VERY enjoyable. The filming is good in general, the performances quite convincing (not Oscar winning though), the equipment as original as it has ever been in movies (I've never thought a jeep could tow a quad .50 cal though but the StuGs and the Jagdpanther look convincing enough), many of the wounds look realistic enough (awesome throat wound in one episode) and in general it is a series that abstained from a lot of the usual american Gung-Ho BS. I know it is not perfect but it is true that I NEVER expected anything like this from american filmmakers. They might be on the right track for the production of REALLY realistic WWII movies in the future, even if they still have a LONG way to go... but it's a start!

Regarding the MG.42 at the crossroads, have you read the book?
From the interveiws from the vetrans, this episode is pretty much as described.

[B Hellqvist]

Regarding the MG.42 at the crossroads, have you read the book?
From the interveiws from the vetrans, this episode is pretty much as described.

The action is described online as well: http://www.worldwar2history.info/Band-o ... mpany.html

[PanzerMonkey]

Lastly I'm not sure how the last Tiger got stopped...Hanks shoots it with his Colt .45 and there's a P-51 flying overhead BUT - the P-51 isn't a tank-buster...it carried NO rocket racks under its wings (check it out).

In fact, there was a tank buster version

That site has not convinced me. But the point is the plane in the movie was "Clean" ei. no rockets.

Members of the demolitions platoon of the 506th 101st did see P-51s carrying 500lb bombs attack and destroy tanks in the opening days of June 1944. The bomb would have been released before the plane was over the target. there by being clean as it swept over the tank.

Bomb racks would still be seen on the wings, though, and there were none in the movie.

[Panzerkopf]

No I have not read the book, unfortunately, but even it actually happened this way it still doesn't make ANY sense... No SS Company would ever set up an MG42 behind or close to enemy lines and start firing into the unknown, leaving their right flank so exposed. Especially since there was so much cover for any attackers. Well, they would NEVER do it in the East anyway. Truth is that the Germans didn't fear the allies as much as they did the Russians... and they paid for underestimating them, more than once...

[edited by moderator]

[Tiger_007]

OK
lets be serious here Private Ryan was only a film so why should we arguee about this MUSTANG there were much more other planes to show as a TANK BUSTERS, doesnt ?? for example british TYPHOON or MOSIQUTO but it's an American film so they did show nothing else but just AMERICAN PLANE

simple as that, and even if its not true with history so what

[blueboyukb]

tiger, true about the american bias, but as you rightly say, it`s an american film so it`s an american aircraft!. would have been amusing though to see a typhoon let fly with those rockets, would wipe out half the town , the tanks and ryan as well!!

[Victor]

Panzerkopf. please use the proper national designation and avoid terms such as "Ruskies", "Japs" etc.

[Panzerkopf]

My bad, I am sorry. Just a slip of the tongue. Will not happen again.

[Tiger_007]

tiger, true about the american bias, but as you rightly say, it`s an american film so it`s an american aircraft!. would have been amusing though to see a typhoon let fly with those rockets, would wipe out half the town , the tanks and ryan as well!!

Well I have to say that would be a nice one and quite a true with the history, TANK BUSTER + TARGET = NOTHING !!!! LEFT

[david Cotton]

Hello all
RPR did show some realistic emmotion.

Uphams reaction when his mate needed him was cowardley, but I if I had been dumped in the same situation, I am not 100% sure that I would not react the same way.

I found Wades death very disturbing and his distress came over very powerfully. On Omaha beach he was a brave man but in his dying moments he was a child again. I found Wades death more powerful than the guy calling for his mother on Omaha beach, with his stomach ripped open.

The GI hugging his knees on Omaha beach in shock, fits what I have heard about combat. Well trained and aggressive soldiers will keep moving under fire. Your average home loving conscript will go to ground unless kept motivated by his officers. I see have a feeling I would be that guy going to ground.

For some reason I always used to think that If I was in action, that I would be the one watching the other poor sodes dying. Then one day I played paintball and within 30 seconds I had been hit squarly between the eyes. Now I am sure I would be part of the flotsum on the beach.

Regards
David

[brau meister]

I watched it again recently and was flummoxed by the lack of basic tactics employed by the german troops. I only caught the final scene so I'll limit my comments to that.

-infantry never layed down covering fire
-infantry rarely bothered to fire their weapons even when the GIs are in the open
-infantry didn't think to look for cover even when two of their comrades get shot down in front of them
-though there were only a handful of GIs, the germans are running everywhere but towards the resistance they are facing.
-panzers never, ever, not even once use their MGs. What the hell? The GIs are running directly across the path of the panzers and don't get mowed down by the MG?

Whatever the intention of the filmmaker, tactical blunders like these and those in BoB discredit the GIs who fought hard against a determined and skilled enemy to achieve victory on the western front. During wartime, it makes sense to dumb down the enemy for morale purposes but when attempting to make a realistic film 50 years later, give the guys some credit. These matters prove to me that Senor Spielbergo is more interested in demonizing than accurate portrayal. He is a fine director and SPR is an enjoyable movie but it isn't what it's billed to be.[/list]