Funny, but "earn this" is the line that offended me the most. It wasn't a reminder to the viewers, but a reminder to Private Ryan. That's who he spoke the line to. It's like Hanks' character is cursing Ryan because he was the one who forced them to come to that town and die. "Earn this sacrifice I made for you, you S.O.B." It's the ultimate in horrible guilt trips, and something I really can't imagine one person laying upon another person's conscience. You could even see the effect of that curse on Ryan as an old man, when he breaks down from the guilt and asks his family if he's been a good man. It was such a cruel thing for Hanks' character to say that I found it completely unbelievable.