We are worlds away from Saving Private Ryan here, both geographically and stylistically. This is an entirely different film. The Thin Red Line is based on the novel by WWII veteran James Jones. Translating a novel into film can be an exercise fraught with problems. It can never be the same.
Characters change or disappear, interpretations vary.
The end result often disappoints those loyal fans who 'read the book first'. I cannot comment on the adaption of novel to film in the case of this feature. However it is probably helpful to view a film as an entirely different story to a novel. As such, Terrence Malick's screenplay and direction stand firm in their own right. It traces their surprisingly peaceful landing through the bitter fighting until their departure.