This was sent to me by my friend John McAuliffe.
The story of Frederick "Fritz" Niland, of Tonawanda, NY is told in Stephen E. Ambrose's book, BAND OF BROTHERS..Fritz was a Sergeant with the H-501st PIR and was misdropped below Carantan on D-Day having to fight back to the 501st drop zone with his Buddy. Fritz was decorated for grenading a German machine gun nest on June 12,'44. Fritz had three brothers; Robert , of D-505 PIR, 82nd ABRN DIV who was killed on Utah Beach, Normandy at Neuville au Plain;...Preston a Lieutenant with the 22nd Inf. 4th Div. who was killed on Utah Beach, June 7,'44...and Eddie an older brother whose plane was shot down in the CBI theatre May 1944 and was presumned dead...After learning that Fritz was probably the sole surviving son in his family...Fr. Francis Sampson, Catholic Chaplain of the 501, started paperwork to have Fritz sent back to safer duty in the US.Fritz remained in Normandy with the 501 until they sailed back to England in July 1944.
Fritz wanted to avenge his brother's deaths and return to action, but was over-ruled and sent back for MP duty in N.Y. state until the war ended.
Eddie it was learned did survive having returned from his MIA status having been in a Japanese, POW camp.....Mrs. Niland did NOT receive three telegrams in one day regarding the loss of her sons.Two not three of Fritz's brothers were infact killed in action. The story of the Niland's wound up in two of Amboses's books, and Hollywood screenwriters used the basis scenario of a 101st paratrooper who had lost three brothers as the starting premise for the screenplay of 'SAVING PRIVATE RYAN'.
After the war, Fritz Niland became an oral surgeon. He and I were classmates at the Univ of Georgetown Dental School, Wash. DC for four years , graduating in 1950...99 out of a class of 100, were veterans serving in all the services...Fritz did not talk much of his war experiences, but the effect of losing two brothers and nearly three, made a profound mark upon him. Fritz had two daughters... He died in the early 1980s.
Dr. John McAuliffe;M-347
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"