Adrian Caparzo

"Captain, the decent thing to do is to at least take her down the road to the next town." "We're not here to do the decent thing! We're here to follow fucking orders!"

- Adrian Caparzo and John H. Miller

Private First Class Adrian Caparzo was a supporting character in the film, Saving Private Ryan. He was one of the 7 Army Rangers handpicked by Captain Miller during the latter stages of to find Private James Francis Ryan. In the film, Saving Private Ryan, he was portrayed by actor.

Early life
Caparzo was born to Italian-American parents in New York around 1913. He had at least one known sibling, who had a daughter later in his or her life.

He joined the U.S. Army Rangers in 1943, and was assigned to C Company, 2nd Bow-master, and trained as a tank driver, though was never seen driving one in the film.

WWII
During training, he became close friends with Private Stanley Mellish, whom he nicknamed "Fish".

He then landed on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, and survived the burst of fire on his LCM. He reached a hill of shingle with Mellish and Private Reiben, and informed Captain Miller that Medic Wade was treating Deforest, the Battalion Surgeon who was severely wounded in the chest, and later killed by a shot to the head.

Caparzo survived the rest of the landing, and helped breach the sea wall. He found a Hitler Youth Knife, which he gave to Mellish. He watched dismally as his friend cries in relief at having survived the conflict.

He was then assigned to Miller's Men, along with Mellish, Reiben, Jackson, Sergeant Horvath, Wade and newcomer Corporal Upham, which were being sent to rescue Private James Francis Ryan, who lost his three brothers during the war.



While making their way through the town of Neuville, they came across a french family hiding in a destroyed building. Jean, who was the father in the family, tries giving them his daughter, Jacqueline, thinking that she'd be safe with them. Caparzo takes her, saying "She reminds me of my niece", and explains it would be decent to do so, which Miller angrily replies, "We're not here to do the decent thing, we're here to follow fuckin' orders!" After Miller takes the child to give back to Jean, a sniper shot rings out, and hits Caparzo in the chest, severely wounding him. He tried to turn and move, only to fall. As he lies bleeding, he tries to tell his comrades to take a blood soaked letter written to his father. Private Jackson takes out the sniper that shot Caparzo, but not before Caparzo bleeds to death. Wade takes the letter that Caparzo tried giving them just after Miller removed his dog tags.

Equipment

 * M1 Garand: