He was born at Balboa, a town in the Panama Canal Zone which ceased to exist under the terms of the Panama Canal Treaties. He grew up in Virginia, graduated from Lane High School and attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis as his father had done before him. He graduated in June 1955, joined the Naval Air Force and took his flight training at Pensacola, Florida. He qualified as a carrier pilot and had recently been sent to the Naval Air Station at Corpus Christi. According to reports of his death, two single engine planes took off with an instructor and student, collided at about 10,000 feet, Ryan and his instructor jumped but his parachute failed to open. The second plane crashed killing both men aboard. His funeral was held on August 9th in Lynchburg.
He was born at Balboa, a town in the Panama Canal Zone which ceased to exist under the terms of the Panama Canal Treaties. He grew up in Virginia, graduated from Lane High School and attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis as his father had done before him. He graduated in June 1955, joined the Naval Air Force and took his flight training at Pensacola, Florida. He qualified as a carrier pilot and had recently been sent to the Naval Air Station at Corpus Christi. According to reports of his death, two single engine planes took off with an instructor and student, collided at about 10,000 feet, Ryan and his instructor jumped but his parachute failed to open. The second plane crashed killing both men aboard. His funeral was held on August 9th in Lynchburg.
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