John Leonard Ryan
Military
Son- Robert A Hermann
Object Number - UPL 15965 - My father's pilot: Capt. John Ryan
Shot down 6 March 1943 in B-17F #42-5130 'Sweet Pea', 306BG/367BS while serving as Pilot. The aircraft was on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. At the time he was the 367BS Commanding Officer, the only squadron commander of the 306th to be MIA during the hostilities. Flak caused damage to A/C and a bailout was necessary. Ryan was injured in the bailout. Listed as Missing in Action (MIA), he evaded until 17 April 43 when picked up by RAF Lysander and returned to Thurleigh 20 April 1943. Ryan 's evasion is described in 'First Over Germany'.
He reported to group on 01 March 1942. Completed 13 missions.
Awards: DFC, AM (2OLC), BSM, PH, EAME, WWII Victory
Following retirement from USAF he completed a doctorate in foreign languages at the University of New Mexico and became chairman of the Foreign Languages Dept.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-660491
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Navigator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sweet Pea
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 6 March 1943
Places
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Troy, New York | 13 December 1917 | |
|
Other Evaded |
Quimper, France | 6 March 1943 - 17 April 1943 | Evaded capture and returned to England on 17-Apr-43 The account of his evasion may be viewed at: http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-25.pdf. This account was told by his sister Kathleen Ryan Ivimey on 18 February 2016: When John "Jack" Leonard Ryan's plane was shot him down, he parachuted into the French countryside breaking his collar-bone. An old French woman and a boy found him in a field and gave him aid. He spoke fluent in French and German and the French Resistance had to verify that he was an American. He lived with the family until he had healed a bit. He was disguised as an old French fisherman as he travel by train to go to Paris to meet Yo Thomass, a rich perfume designer, resistance member who help Jack get back to England. Oddly enough Jack sat in front of two German officers who spoke of the search for the missing pilot, Jack who was sitting in front of them on the train. Jack's plane the "Sweet Pea" was named after an orphaned English girl who's parents were killed in a bombing. Jack and crew setup a trust fund to help pay for the young girl's educational needs in her future. Jack was an interpreter during the Nuremburg Trials because of his gift of the languages. |
|
Died |
Albuquerque, NM, USA | 29 December 2003 | Long-time illness |
|
Buried |
Santa Fe, NM, USA | 16 January 2004 | Santa Fe National Cemetery Section 8a Site 40 COL US AIR FORCE WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Lee Cunningham 29-Jul-2015. Added crew position to Summary Biography per MACR 15568.
Lee Cunningham 28-Jul-2015. Made connections to decorations within existing website data.
Lee Cunningham 28-Jul-2015. Added Evasion note and corrected rescue date per National Archives Records Administation (NARA) Escape and Evasion Report #25: http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-25.pdf; Added A/C model letter and unit association and CO note per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition; MACR 15568, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p. 89, First Over Germany by Russell Strong pp. 2, 40, 58, 74-6 & 323, / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15568 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
