BIOGRAPHY OF GENERAL JOHN D. RYAN, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
- General John Dale Ryan was born in Cherokee, IA, Dec 10, 1915, the
son of E. T. Ryan & Mabel C. Ryan (both deceased). He
graduated from Wilson High School, Cherokee, IA in 1932.
Following graduation from Cherokee Junior College in 1934; he entered
the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, from which he
graduated in 1938. He next attended flying Primary and Advanced
Flying Schools at Randolph and Kelly Fields, TX and received his pilot
wings in 1939.
General Ryan remained at Kelly Field as a flight
instructor for approximately two years. From Jan 1942 until Aug
1943, he was Director of training at Midland Army Air Field, Texas and
was instrumental in establishing an advanced bombardier training
school. His next assignment was a operations officer for the
Second Air Force at Colorado Springs, CO. In February 1944 he was
transferred to Italy, where he commanded the 2nd Bombardment Group and
later became operations officer for the 5th Bombardment Wing, fifteenth
Air Force.
He returned to the United States in April 1945 and
became Deputy Air Base Commander, Midland Army Air Field, TX. In
September 1945 he was assigned to the Air Training Command (ATC) at
Fort Worth and Randolph Field, TX where he remained until April 1946
when he assumed duties with the 58th Bombardment Wing and participated
in the Bikini Atoll atomic weapons tests. From September 1946 to
July 1948, he was Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans of the 58th
Bombardment Wing and then Eighth Air Force Director of
Operations. For the next three years, he commanded the 509th
Bombardment Wing at Walker Air Force Base, NM. Between July 1951
and June 1956, General Ryan commanded the 97th Bombardment Wing and the
810th air DIvision, both at Biggs Air Force Base, TX and the 19th Air
DIvision at Carswell Air Force Base, TX.
General Ryan became
Director of Material for the Strategic Air Command (SAC) in June 1956,
and four years later assumed command of SAC's Sixteenth Air Force in
Spain. In July 1961, he was named Commander of the Second Air
Force at Barksdale Air Force Base, LA.
In August 1963, General
Ryan was assigned to the Pentagon as Inspector General for the U. S.
Air Force. One year later he was name Vice Commander in Chief of
Strategic Air Command, and in December 1964 became Commander in
Chief. He was assigned as Commander in Chief, Pacific Air Forces,
in February 1967.
General Ryan was appointed Vice Chief of Staff
of the U.S. Air Force in August 1968, and Chief of Staff of the U.S.
Air Force in August 1969.
His military decorations and awards
include the Distinguished Service Medal (Air Force Ddesign) with three
oak leaf clusters; Distinguished Service Medal (Army design); Silver
Star with one oak leaf cluster; Legion of Merit; Distinguished Flying
Cross with one oak leaf cluster; Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters;
Purple Heart; French Crois de Guerre with Palm; Chinese Order of the
Cloud and Banner, 1st Class with Grand Cordon, and 2nd Class; Korean
National Security Merit First Class; the Vietnamese National Order of
Vietnam/Commander and Gallantry Cross with Palm; Grand Cross, Royal
Order of Phoenix (Greece); and Grand Cross of Aeronautical Merit
(Spain). In July 1971 General Ryan became the first foreign
dignitary to receive the Golden Wings of the Phillipine Air
Force. Additional foreign decorations are Chilean Military Star
of the Armed Forces, Class of Great Star for Military Merit; French
Legion of Honor, Degree of Commander; and the Brazilian Order of
Aeronautical Merit, Degree of Grand Official.
In December 1962
he joined a select group of athletes, who have been successful in their
professional careers since their college footballs days, when he was
chosen a member of the Sports Illustrated Silver Anniversary All -
American team.
He received an honorary ddoctor of laws degree
from Creighton University, Omaha, NE on May 30, 1966; and an honorary
doctor of laws degree from the University of Akron, Ohio on June 5,
1967.
General Ryan married the former Jo Carolyn Guidera of San
Antonio, TX on August 26, 1939. They have a son, Captain Michael
E., USAF and a daughter Patricia Jo. A second son, Captain John
D. Jr., USAF, was killed in January 1970 when his F-4D crashed on
takeoff.
General Ryan retired in 1973 after serving thirty-nine years in the Military.
Source: Cherokee County Historical Society Newsletter, Vol 15, Num 2, Feb 1980, Sec VI, Pg 10
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