Michael P. Ryan (USMC)

Michael Patrick Ryan (January 30, 1916 - January 9, 2005) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Major General. He is most noted for his service as Company Commander during Battle of Tarawa, where he earned Navy Cross, the United States military's second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat. Ryan later served in Korean and Vietnam Wars and ended his career as Director of Marine Corps Reserve. He co-founded together with Colonel James L. Fowler, the Marine Corps Marathon.

Early career and World War II
Michael P. Ryan was born on January 31, 1916 in Osage City, Kansas as the son of John W. Ryan and following the studies at Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, he enrolled at Rockhurst College, Missouri where he studied business administration. Ryan also enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1933 and served with the 15th Reserve Battalion in Galveston, Texas until 1940. During his reserve service, Ryan received two awards of Reserve Good Conduct Medal.

He was later called to extended active duty in November 1940 and commissioned Second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. Ryan was subsequently sent to San Diego, California and appointed rifle platoon leader within 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, before he was transferred to 6th Marine Regiment. He sailed with 6th Marines under the command of Colonel Leo D. Hermle to Iceland, where he remained with occupation forces until his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division and sailed for Pacific theater.

Ryan was transferred to the 2nd Marine Regiment under Colonel John M. Arthur and participated in the Guadalcanal campaign with that unit. Ryan later reached the rank of Major and was appointed Commander of Reserve "L" Company within 3rd Battalion.

During the Battle of Tarawa Atoll, Major Ryan landed on Betio Island under heavy enemy fire on November 20, 1943 and after his company was almost wiped out, he had rallied remnants of his unit, two M4 Sherman tanks and other Marines from the infantry and machine gun platoons scattered on the beach, from which he assembled the composite battalion and commenced attack. Ryan, who had been thought to be killed in action, arranged for naval gunfire and mounted an attack that cleared the island's western end. Thanks to his actions, first substantial reinforcements landed intact after two days of heavy fighting.

For his gallantry in action, Major Ryan was decorated with Navy Cross, the second highest decoration for valor. He also received British Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on Tarawa.

Ryan was later appointed Executive officer of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines and served in this capacity during the Battles of Saipan and Tinian in summer 1944. He was ordered back to the United States in November 1944 and assigned to training center at Camp Pendleton, California as Commanding officer of the 3rd Training battalion. Ryan remained in that capacity until June 1945.

Later career
Following the end of the War, Ryan decided to remain in the Marine Corps and was transferred to the active duty. He was subsequently to the Marine Corps Schools Quantico, Virginia, where he attended Junior Course within Amphibious Warfare School and following the graduation, he was appointed an Infantry Instructor there. Ryan was subsequently transferred to Washington, D.C. and attached to the Division of Plans & Policies at Headquarters Marine Corps in September 1948. While in that capacity, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant colonel in April 1950.

During 1951, he was transferred to Venezuela, where he served within U.S. Naval Mission as Technical Advisor for Venezuelan Marine Corps until June 1953, when he was ordered back to the United States. Upon his return, Ryan attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In July 1954, Ryan was ordered to Korea and assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, which participated in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone within 1st Marine Division under Major general Robert E. Hogaboom.

Lieutenant colonel Ryan was ordered stateside in June 1955 and after brief service with Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., he was sent to Hawaii to be appointed Training officer within Fleet Marine Force, Pacific and later served as Assistant Operations Officer with Headquarters and Service Battalion at Camp H. M. Smith. He was ordered back to the Headquarters Marine Corps in 1957 and attached to Plans & Policies Section, Personnel Division as Assistant Chief. Ryan was promoted to the rank of Colonel on August 1, 1958 and after another two years of duties there, he was transferred to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina on June 21, 1960. where he served as Commanding officer of the Recruit Training Regiment under Brigadier general George R.E. Shell.

In June 1963, Ryan was assigned to the Senior Course at National War College and following the graduation in July 1964, he was ordered back to the Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. and appointed Assistant Director of Joint Planning Group within the Office of Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs. While in this capacity, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in January 1966 and subsequently assumed duties as Assistant Chief of Staff (G-2) for Plans and Operations. Ryan also graduated from George Washington University with Bachelor of Arts degree in the same year.

Ryan was transferred to Camp Courtney, Japan during the April 1966 and succeeded Brigadier general William A. Stiles as Commanding general of 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. As a newly activated unit, Ryan supervised the formation of the staff and subsequent training for then ongoing Vietnam War. He was then transferred to Camp Carroll, Vietnam at the beginning of January 1967, where he assumed duties as Assistant Division Commander within 3rd Marine Division under Major general Bruno Hochmuth. Ryan arrived just for the end of the Operation Prairie and participated in the combats in the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone. However he left Vietnam at the beginning of Operation Hickory in May 1967 and returned to the United States. For his service in this capacity, Ryan was decorated with Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and also received another Navy Presidential Unit Citation.

He was subsequently assigned to the Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia under the command of Major general James M. Masters and appointed Director of the Command and Staff College there. Ryan proved his qualities as training officer and subsequently was appointed Deputy for Education and Director of Quantico Education Center in June 1968. While in this capacity, he was promoted to the rank of Major General on September 1, 1968.

General Ryan remained in Quantico until May 1969, when he was transferred to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in order to assume Command of 2nd Marine Division. His new command did not take any part in combat operations in Vietnam and participated only in the field excercises in the United States. He was succeeded by Major general Robert D. Bohn at the beginning of June 1971 and traveled to Norfolk, Virginia to be appointed Deputy Commander Fleet Marine Force Atlantic under Lieutenant general George C. Axtell.

He returned once more to Japan, while he was appointed Commanding general III Marine Amphibious Corps in Okinawa during January 1973, but returned stateside after one year of duty. Ryan concluded his career as Director of Marine Corps Reserve at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. On 17 October 1975, one of his subordinates Colonel James L. Fowler wrote a memo to Ryan, outlining the idea of creating a Marine Corps Reserve Marathon to promote goodwill between the military and the post-Vietnam community. General Ryan embraced the idea of a Marine marathon and submitted it to then Marine Corps Commandant General Louis H. Wilson Jr. for approval. With General Wilson’s blessing, the planning process for the first Marine Corps Marathon began and the inaugural running of the Marine Corps Marathon was held on November 7, 1976.

Major general Ryan retired from the Marine Corps on July 1, 1977 following the 44 years of service. Upon his retirement he settled in Texas, but later moved to California, where he died on January 9, 2005 in Northridge. Ryan is buried at Arlington National Cemetery together with his wife, Marjorie Eleanor Allen Ryan (1920-1998). They had together three children: Michael Patrick Ryan Jr. of Mexico City, Allen Frederic Ryan of Solana Beach, Calif., and Theresa Cecile Ryan of Northridge.

Decorations
Here is the ribbon bar of Major General Michael P. Ryan: