John Dale Ryan

John Dale Ryan was born in Cherokee, Iowa, on December 10, 1915. Following graduation from Cherokee Junior College in 1934, he entered the United States Military Academy, played varsity football,[2][3] and graduated in 1938.[4] He next attended pilot training in Texas at Randolph and Kelly fields, and received his pilot wings in 1939.

Air Force Chief of Staff General John D. Ryan with U.S. Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird.

Ryan remained at Kelly Field as a flight instructor for approximately two years. From January 1942 until August 1943, he was director of training at Midland Army Airfield, Texas, and was instrumental in establishing an advanced bombardier training school. His next assignment was as operations officer for the Second Air Force at Colorado Springs, Colorado. In February 1944, he was transferred to Italy, where he commanded the 2d Bombardment Group and later became operations officer for the 5th Bombardment Wing, Fifteenth Air Force. While commanding the 2d Bombardment Group he lost a finger to enemy anti-aircraft fire. Later on, this resulted in his nickname, sometimes used derisively, "Three-fingered Jack."

Ryan returned to Texas in April 1945, and became deputy air base commander at Midland Army Airfield. In September, he was assigned to the Air Training Command at Fort Worth and Randolph Field, 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 pilots of the 58th Bombardment Wing and then Eighth Air Force director of operations. For the next three years, he commanded the 509th Bombardment Group at Walker Air Force Base, New Mexico. Between July 1951 and June 1956, Ryan commanded the 97th Bombardment Wing and the 810th Air Division, both at Biggs Air Force Base, Texas, and the 19th Air Division at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas.

Air Force Chief of Staff General John D. Ryan with Secretary of The Air Force Robert C. Seamans and Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird at a ceremony in The Pentagon.

Ryan became director of materiel for the Strategic Air Command 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, Louisiana.

In August 1963, Ryan was assigned to the Pentagon as Inspector General of the Air Force. A year later, he was named vice commander in chief of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, and in December 1964, became its fourth commander in chief, the first educated at West Point.[4] He was assigned as commander in chief, Pacific Air Forces, in February 1967.

Ryan returned to the Pentagon as Vice Chief of Staff in August 1968, and became Chief of Staff in August 1969. One of the more controversial moves of his tenure was the disbandment of the U.S. Air Force Pipes and Drums, the only free-standing, full-time pipe band in the U.S. armed forces.

Ryan's tenure as commander of PACAF and Air Force Chief of Staff also engendered controversy when he was described as one of a group that helped destroy General Jack Lavelle's career after Lavelle gave fighter pilots permission to shoot back at bona fide threats, something previously denied them by rules of engagement. This was also related to the court-martial of Colonel Jack Broughton, after Broughton attempted to protect one of his pilots who shot back at an anti-aircraft position also in apparent violation of rules of engagement. Ryan's "undue command influence" later resulted in the overturning and expungement of Broughton's conviction by the USAF Board for the Correction of Military Records.[5]

Presenting Distinguished Flying Cross to his son, Captain Michael E. Ryan (right), 1969.

• US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
• Master Missileman Badge (basic Missileman Badge depicted)
• Philippines Air Force Gold Wings Badge

Personal decorations
	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters[6]
	Army Distinguished Service Medal[6]
	Silver Star with bronze oak leaf cluster[6]
	Legion of Merit[6]
	Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster[6]
	Air Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
	Purple Heart
Campaign and service medals
	American Defense Service Medal
	American Campaign Medal
	European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze campaign stars
	World War II Victory Medal
	National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
	Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze service stars
Service, training, and marksmanship awards
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Foreign awards
	French Legion of Honour, Commandeur Medal
	French World War II Croix de Guerre with bronze palm
	Chinese Order of the Cloud and Banner, 1st Grade with Special Grand Cordon
	Chinese Order of the Cloud and Banner, 2nd Grade with Grand Cordon
	South Korean Order of National Security Merit, Tong-il Medal
	National Order of Vietnam, Commander
	National Order of Vietnam, Knight
	Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm
	Great Star for Military Merit, Chile
	Greek Order of the Phoenix, Grand Cross
	Spanish Order of Aeronautical Merit, Grand Cross with Red Decoration
	Brazilian Order of Aeronautical Merit, Grand Official
	Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Award
	Vietnam Campaign Medal

Ryan died of a heart attack at age 67 on October 27, 1983, while hospitalized at the Air Force's Wilford Hall Medical Center adjacent to Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas.[8] He was later buried with full military honors at the United States Air Force Academy Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was survived by his wife, the former Jo Carolyn Guidera, his son, Colonel (later General) Michael E. Ryan, and a daughter, Patricia Jo Ryan. Another son, Captain John D. Ryan, Jr., was killed in 1970 when his F-4 Phantom II crashed into San Pablo Bay during a training mission, shortly after takeoff from Hamilton AFB in Marin County, California.[9][10]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Dale Ryan.

• Public domain biography provided by the U.S. Air Force
• John Dale Ryan at Find a Grave