John Dale Ryan
John Dale Ryan | |
---|---|
Hunter Harris, Jr. | |
Succeeded by | Joseph J. Nazzaro |
4th Commander-in-Chief of The Strategic Air Command | |
In office December 1, 1964 – January 31, 1967 | |
Preceded by | Thomas S. Power |
Succeeded by | Joseph J. Nazzaro |
Personal details | |
Born | 2d Bombardment Group | December 10, 1915
Battles/wars | World War II Vietnam War |
In May 1972, Ryan was the subject of one of President Richard Nixon's more severe rants.[1]
Early life
John Dale Ryan was born in
Military career
Ryan remained at Kelly Field as a
Ryan returned to Texas in April 1945, and became deputy air base commander at Midland Army Airfield. In September, he was assigned to the
From September 1946 to July 1948, he was assistant chief of staff for pilots of the
Ryan became director of materiel for the
Strategic Air Command
In November 1964 Ryan was appointed as the next Commanders-in-Chief of The Strategic Air Command (CINCSAC) following the retirement of the current CINCSAC General Thomas S. Power. Ryan assumed his duties as CINCSAC On December 1, 1964, and became its fourth commander in chief and was the first CINCSAC to be educated at West Point.[4] During his tenure as Strategic Air Command Commander, Ryan oversaw the early staged of Strategic Bombing campaign during the Vietnam War and also Strategic Air Command role within the war.[5] As part of the Strategic Air Command involvement in the Vietnam War, Ryan under the direction of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara ordered the deployment of several Strategic Air Command fleet of B-52 Stratofortress and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker into Southeast Asia.[5] The B-52 and Boeing KC-135 fleet was then deployed into U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield following an agreement with Governments of Thailand and operating the base in-cooperation with Royal Thai Navy. As a result, the U-Tapao airbase became the main Strategic Air Command base for its Southeast Asian operation, especially for its operation for the Vietnam War air campaign.[5]
Ryan also the early staged of Operation Arc Light, which purpose was to provide bombing support that include enemy bases and supply routes and also providing air support for gorund combat operations. In order to support the Operation Arc Light, several fleet of Strategic Air Command's Bombers Aircraft, including its fleet of B-52 Stratofortress was deployed into Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan.[5] Operation Arc Light played crucial role in the strategic bombing campaign during the Vietnam War and especially in providing the bombing air support to ground combat troops in the battlefield of Vietnam.[5]
On February 1, 1967, Ryan was assigned as commander in chief, of The Pacific Air Forces and was succeeded by his Vice Commanders-in-Chief General Joseph J. Nazzaro, who assumed Ryan's position as Strategic Air Command Commanders-in-Chief.
Air Force Chief of Staff
Ryan returned to the Pentagon as Vice Chief of Staff of The United States Air Force in August 1968, following the appointment of the previous Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, General Bruce K. Holloway, as Commander of the Strategic Air Command. In July 1969 following the retirement of Air Force Chief of Staff General John P. McConnell, Ryan was appointed by President Richard Nixon as Chief of Staff of The United States Air Force 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 later as 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.[6] During his tenure as Air Force Chief of Staff, Ryan also realized that the Air Force was in need of a complete overhaul that emphasized training, readiness and understanding.[7]
According to Mark Perry 1989 military history book Four Stars: The Inside Story of The Forty-Year Battle Between The Joint Chiefs of Staff and America's Civilian Leaders, Ryan was considered one of the Air Force's major air power strategists in the end of 1960s and was one of the able successors to Curtis LeMay and Thomas D. White. Ryan was also quoted as one of the military's leading critics of the can-do spirit which permeated the New Frontier-Great Society national Leadership.[7] Ryan was also quoted as one of the more outspoken and "stronger Chiefs" within the Joint Chiefs of Staff parlance, especially regarding the slanting of a policy or story that far beyond the truth.[7]
General Ryan retired from active-duty within the United States Air Force on July 31, 1973, following 35 years of service within the Air Force. He was succeeded by General George S. Brown who assumed Ryan's position as Chief of Staff of The United States Air Force and was previously served as Commanders of Air Force System Command.
Family and death
Ryan's son, General Michael E. Ryan, also held the position of chief of staff. Unlike the elder Ryan's career as bomber pilot, the younger Ryan (b. 1941) and his brother John (1940–1970) were both fighter pilots.
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
Awards and decorations
* US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
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Personal decorations | |
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters[11]
| |
Army Distinguished Service Medal[11] | |
Silver Star with bronze oak leaf cluster[11] | |
Legion of Merit[11] | |
Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster[11] | |
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 | |
South Korean Order of National Security Merit , Tong-il Medal
| |
National Order of Vietnam, Commander | |
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
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Brazilian Order of Aeronautical Merit, Grand Official | |
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Award
| |
Vietnam Campaign Medal |
Other achievements
In December 1962, he joined a select group of athletes, who have been successful in their professional careers since their
In July 1971, Ryan became the first foreign dignitary to receive the Golden Wings of the Philippine Air Force. Additional foreign decorations are Chilean Military Star of the Armed Forces, Class of Great Star for Military Merit.
References
- ^ "Richard Nixon, Spiro T. Agnew, Henry A. Kissinger, and Thomas H. Moorer on 19 May 1972". prde.upress.virginia.edu. Retrieved 2018-12-22.
- ^ Barcella, Ernest (November 7, 1937). "Ryan hero as Army tops Harvard, 7 to 6". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 5, sports.
- ^ "Army winner over Crimson". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. November 7, 1937. p. 2, sports.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Dean, Bill W. (November 29, 1964). "Commanding S.A.C. an awesome job". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 1D.
- ^ ISBN 978-0887406881.
- ISBN 978-0-7603-3217-7
- ^ ISBN 978-0395429235.
- ^ AP (28 October 1983). "Gen. John Ryan, 67; Ex-Chief of Air Force". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
- ^ "Two missing in jet crash". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. January 13, 1970. p. 7.
- ^ "General's son dies". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). UPI. January 13, 1970. p. 5.
- ^ a b c d e "John Dale Ryan". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
- ^ "The Silver All-America 1962". Sports Illustrated. December 10, 1962. p. 76.
External links
- Public domain biography provided by the U.S. Air Force
- John Dale Ryan at Find a Grave
- "Retiring AF Chief's 'Junket' Raises Flap," The Pittsburgh Press, July 13, 1973, p. 7