One of the very first shots of everybody in Hank's landing craft starts at the back of the boat and pans forward. One of the soldiers in the very back (a tall lanky guy) is the same actor that plays an airborne from the "dog-tag poker scene." When Hanks starts asking the airbornes if they know a Ryan, a soldier says "doesn't so-and-so pal-around with a Ryan from Baker Company?" The airborne that answers, "yeah I think so," is the double.