Ryan family papers

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 8440

Scope and content

Approximately 800 World War II letters from Bernard, Lawrence, Paul, and Vincent Ryan, as well as about 80 letters from other servicemen, all written home to their parents and sisters. Also, miscellaneous other items, including photographs; other family letters; pamphlets about Schenevus, N.Y. in the 1930s; various publications and other printed material.

Dates

1928-1958.

Creator

Ryan family. (Family)
Ryan, Bernard A. (Person)
Ryan, Lawrence J. (Person)
Ryan, Paul L. (Person)
Ryan, Vincent M. (Person)

Language of Material

In English.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Permission to quote from or publish work based on the Ryan Papers is restricted to permission of the family until 2053.

Biographical / Historical

Bernard Andrew Ryan (1912?-1986) enlisted in the Army Air Force and served as a flight engineer with the Army Air Forces Ferrying Command (later the Air Transport Command), in the 26th Ferrying Squadron traveling among multiple locations in the U.S. Newfoundland, England, Ireland, Iceland, Brazil, China, and India. He was based in India in 1944 and 1945, flying missions over "The Hump" (Himalayas) to resupply Chinese and U.S. forces in China. Lawrence John Ryan (1915-1980) served in the U.S. Army , 753rd Tank Battlion, 45th Infantry Division and fought under General George S. Patton and General Mark Clark in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Austria, France, and Germany. He received seven campaign stars for combat service. Paul Leo Ryan (1911-1978) served with the Construction Battlion (Seabees) of the U.S. Navy in the Aleutian Islands, Adak (Alaska), and Okinawa from 1942 to 1945. Vincent Michael Ryan (1919-1985) served in the U.S. Army, as a technical sergeant in the 2nd Signal Company, 2nd (Indianhead) Infantry Division, which landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day +1 and fought their way through France, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. He later served in the 75th Division during the Occupation.