Sampson. Private James Ryan in the film Saving Private Ryan is loosely based on him. Fritz died in 1983 in San Francisco at the age of 63. Fritz married Marilyn Hartnett Batt and they had two daughters, Catherine (Cate) and Mary. Memorials In popular culture Steven Spielberg's 1998 film Saving Private Ryan is loosely based on the brothers' story. See also Bixby letter Borgstrom brothers Sullivan brothers Sole Survivor Policy Brothers von Blücher, Germany's counterparts to the Niland/Sullivan Brothers Cervi Brothers References Saving Private Ryan Online Encyclopedia Saving Private Ryan a real-life drama" by Ron Churchill, University of Buffalo Reporter Saving Private Ryan: pictures behind the scenes at Paratrooper Research Team Year of birth missing Year of death missing People from Tonawanda, New York United States Army personnel killed in World War II United States Army officers United States Army soldiers Brothers