John Dale Ryan

John Dale Ryan
General John Dale Ryan
Born	(1915-12-10)December 10, 1915 Cherokee, Iowa
Died	October 27, 1983(1983-10-27) (aged 67) Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
Place of burial	United States Air Force Academy Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1938–1973
Rank	General
Commands held	Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command Sixteenth Air Force Second Air Force
Battles/wars	World War II Vietnam War
Awards	See below
Relations	General Michael E. Ryan (son)

General John Dale Ryan (December 10, 1915 – October 27, 1983) was the seventh Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, General Ryan served in a dual capacity. He was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which, as a body, acts as the principal military adviser to the president, the National Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense. In his other capacity, he was responsible to the Secretary of the Air Force for managing the vast human and materiel resources of the world's most powerful aerospace force.

The general was born in Cherokee, Iowa, in 1915. Following graduation from Cherokee Junior College in 1934, he entered the United States Military Academy from which he graduated in 1938. He next attended flying school at Randolph and Kelly fields, Texas, and received his pilot wings in 1939.

General 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 Air Field, 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 antiaircraft fire. Later on, this resulted in his nickname, sometimes used derisively, "Three-fingered Jack."