Fred Henderson

Corporal Fred Henderson was a minor character in the film Saving Private Ryan, who served as a soldier in the 101st Airbourne and was one of the Ramelle Paratroopers.

Biography
Henderson jumped into Normandy on D-Day, with Easy Company, 1st Battalion, 501st PIR, 101st Airborne. He was later grouped up by a Colonel to go to the town of Ramelle under the command of Captain Jennings. While at Ramelle, the Germans bombarded them with 88s, killing their leader who was Captain Jennings, passing the command onto Henderson.

A few hours before the defence of Ramelle, he, Private Ryan, and Private Toynbe took out a Halftrack with a bazooka. After destroying the tank, they met Miller's Men. Captain Miller was there to pull Private Ryan off the line because of the deaths of his brothers, but Ryan was adamant and refused to leave. Miller and his men decided to stay and help Henderson out, and command was passed on to Miller, who formed the Ramelle Defenders.

Henderson helped organize the men and weapons and set up positions. He and Private Mellish took positions behind some rubble with a .30 caliber machine gun. He then participated in the Battle at Ramelle.

During the battle, he and Mellish killed and wounded many German soldiers with their machine gun, before changing position to a window in a wrecked house. He and Mellish killed and wounded many more Germans with their machine guns, before they ran out of ammunition, forcing them to use their own firearms to kill more Germans.

One grenade was tossed in, but Henderson tossed it back, killing one of the Germans in the explosion. Eventually, a group of three Germans tried creeping into their room. Henderson shot one through the wall, killing them. As a pool of blood leaked into the room, Henderson and Mellish waited, when suddenly Henderson was shot in the neck with an MP40 by a Waffen-SS soldier, fataly wounding him. Henderson rolled around gagging, as Mellish shot one soldier but then had to wrestle with another. Henderson eventually suffocated to death, shortly before Mellish was stabbed to death by the SS soldier.

Equipment

 * M1A1 Thompson:
 * Browning M1919A4:
 * Model 24 Stielhandgranate: