Fall River Native George Luz Helped Inspire ‘Band of Brothers’

If you have never watched Band of Brothers, I highly recommend it.

Since the pandemic, I've been heavily into war films. Once I noticed Netflix was streaming the classic HBO miniseries, I had to rewatch it. There's no doubt why it received a Golden Globe back in 2002.

The movie's postscript notes that George Luz, one of the guys featured returned to Providence after World War II. I was interested to learn that the real Luz was not only a war hero but a Fall River native.

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According to the Stephen Ambrose Band of Brothers Tour, Luz was a World War II soldier who served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. He was portrayed by actor Rick Gomez in Band of Brothers, which was based on Ambrose's book.

Luz was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, and also had ties to Providence, Rhode Island. He lived in Providence for a bit and worked as a bartender at Hotel Dorrance before enlisting in the military.

In Band of Brothers, Luz is depicted as a member of Easy Company, which was part of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the Battle of Carentan, the Battle of the Bulge and other significant battles of World War II. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions during the war and was portrayed as a guy with a great sense of humor and an ability to keep morale high.

After the war, Luz returned to Rhode Island and worked as a bartender at Hotel Dorrance once again. He passed away in 1998 at 78. Turnout at his funeral -- 1,600 people -- showed how beloved he was, a "testament to his character," as the miniseries poignantly notes.

His legacy lives on thanks to his service and portrayal in Band of Brothers.

Luz was not the only Fall River native to get the big-screen treatment for his military service. U.S. Navy Capt. and Medal of Honor recipient Thomas Hudner was the subject of the 2022 film Devotion starring Glen Powell. Hudner intentionally crash-landed his plane during the Korean War to rescue Jesse Brown.