William Joseph Ryan 16 December 1921 – 20 September 1944 United States Army William was born to Thomas and Melinda Ryan on December 16, 1921 in East Boston and raised in Charlestown. William joined the United States Army on January 29, 1944 along with his friend, James M. Connolly. Private First Class (PFC) Ryan was assigned to E Company, 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division which was part of the 3rd Army under General Patton. During this time, on September 20, 1944, Ryan was killed in action in the European Area. For the heroism displayed in his service to our country PFC Ryan was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star , the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the WWII Victory Medal. William’s body is laid to rest at the Lorraine American Cemetery in France. He was survived by his parents, residents of Charlestown.
