Niland brothers

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Preston T. Niland's grave marker at the American Cemetery near Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France.

Robert J. Niland lies next to his brother Preston in the American Cemetery.

The Niland Brothers were a group of four American brothers from Tonawanda, New York serving in the military during World War II. Of the four, two survived the war, but for a time it was believed that only one, Frederick Niland, had survived. Frederick was sent back to the United States to complete his service, and only later learned that his brother Edward, presumed dead, was actually captive in a Japanese POW camp in Burma. Steven Spielberg's film Saving Private Ryan is loosely based on the brothers' story.

The four brothers were:

• Sergeant Frederick "Fritz" Niland (1920-1983), Company H, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Fritz was close friends with Warren Muck and Donald Malarkey, both from Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, who were both featured prominently in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers.
• Technical Sergeant Robert Niland, Company D, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division (KIA June 6, 1944 in Normandy)
• Second Lieutenant Preston Niland, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division (KIA June 7, 1944 in Normandy)
• Technical Sergeant Edward Niland, U.S. Army Air Forces

[edit] See also

• Sullivan brothers
• Sole Survivor Policy
• Saving Private Ryan

[edit] References

• Saving Private Ryan Online Encyclopedia
• "Saving Private Ryan" a real-life drama" by Ron Churchill, University of Buffalo Reporter

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