Private, I'm afraid I have some bad news for ya. Well, there
isn't any real easy way to say this, so, uh, so I'll just say it.
Your brothers are dead. We have, uh, orders to come get you, 'cause
you're going home.
Name: James Francis Ryan
Rank: Private First Class
Unit: 101st Airborne Division, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment,
1st Battalion, Company B
Decorations: Purple Heart
Hometown: Peyton, Iowa
Parents: William and Margaret Ryan
Brothers: Peter, Daniel and Sean
In 1942 all four of William and Margaret Ryan's sons—Daniel, James,
Peter and Sean—enlisted in the United States Army. Although they
were originally all in the same company of the 29th Infantry
Division for a period of time, the four brothers were reassigned to
different units following the loss of the Sullivan Brothers in
November of 1942. James, the youngest of the brothers, qualified as
a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division and participated in
Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944.
Like many of his fellow paratroopers, Ryan's stick was dropped
about 20 miles from its planned drop zone, and Ryan ended up near
the town of Neuville. Setting out for his unit's rally point, Ryan
eventually joined a group of paratroopers who were assembled to
defend a bridge over the Merderet River at Ramelle.
On June 13th, while scouting near Ramelle for Germans, Ryan and two
other paratroopers encountered a group of Rangers led by Captain
Miller. Ryan was stunned to learn that all of his brothers had been
killed in action recently, and that Miller and his Rangers had been
sent to retrieve him so that he could return to the States. It was
Miller's turn to be surprised when Ryan refused to leave his
comrades, who had strict orders to defend Ramelle's bridge. The
Rangers decided to stay behind and help the paratroopers, although
Miller took care to keep Ryan close to him during the battle for
Ramelle. Having already lost two of his men while searching for
Ryan, Miller had no intention of letting Ryan get himself
killed.
Ryan did survive the ensuing battle, which was won with the
assistance of air support and the arrival of other Allied troops,
but Miller and most of his Rangers were killed. The dying Miller's
last words to Ryan were, "Earn this." Ryan would never forget the
sacrifice made by Miller and his men, and as an elderly man he
visited Miller's grave at the Normandy American Cemetery and
Memorial in France.
