Born New York City, August 21, 1874
Enlisted as Private in Co. G., 7th Inf., N.G.N.Y., March 12, 1897
Commissioned Second Lieutenant, Second Battery, F.A., N.G.N.Y. December 6, 1900
Commissioned First Lieutenant, April 9, 1904
Captain, First Battery, F.A., N.G.N.Y., May 10,1907
Major, Second Battalion, F.A., N.G.N.Y., September 19, 1911
Major General, Commanding N.G.N.Y., April 16, 1912
Appointed by President Wilson as Major General, National Army, August 5, 1917
John Francis O'Ryan was born in New York City on August 21, 1874 (some sources state 1875). His father, Francis, was an Irish immigrant. Francis was well educated and taught at Seton Hall and later worked for the New York City Department of Education. His mother was Anna Barry. John was the first of four children born to the couple. He grew up in Morrisania, a small village that is now part of the Bronx.
O'Ryan attended City College and New York University, graduating with a law degree and was admitted to the NY Bar in 1898. In 1897 he had enlisted as a private in "G" Company of the Seventh Regiment of the New York National Guard. After four years in the Seventh he saw an opportunity for promotion and transferred to the Second Battery, NY Field Artillery where he was promptly commissioned as a second lieutenant. From 1900 O'Ryan rose steadily through the ranks and by April 1912 was a Major General commanding the New York National Guard, having been promoted over many senior officers. During his years as an officer he was instrumental in reforming much of the training program and organization for the NYNG. Such a rapid rise and his reputation as a reformer naturally created many enemies for O'Ryan within military and political circles in NY State. NY Governor John A. Dix had O'Ryan declared "supernumerary" and dismissed him. Dix' successor, Gov. Sulzer restored him to his command.
With the posting of the New York National Guard to the Mexican Border in 1916, O'Ryan had the opportunity to put his training techniques to the test under war time conditions. By the time the troops were sent to France in May of 1918 the men of the Twenty-seventh Division were motivated, well trained and highly disciplined, a fact noted often by their British counterparts. At 44, O'Ryan was the youngest division commander in the American Army and the only National Guard officer to remain in command of his unit.
Following the war O'Ryan served on the NY City Transit commission briefly before resigning to take over as President of Colonial Airways. He also served briefly as Police Commissioner under Mayor LaGuardia.
With the approach of WWII O'Ryan came out strongly against fascism and advocated more preparedness for military action and national defense. In 1941 Gov Lehman appointed General O'Ryan director of Civil Defense for New York State. In later years O'Ryan became a partner in the law firm of Loucke, O'Ryan and Cullen.
General O'Ryan died in January, 1961 at the age of 85 at the Brookside Convalescent Home in North Salem, N.Y.
GENERAL O'RYAN'S HELMET
The following photographs are EXCLUSIVE to this web site. The helmet is in the private collection of Mr. Dennis Jackson and we owe him a huge debt of gratitude for allowing us to use these photos. Thanks also to Bill Baldwin for arranging to get them to me.
This is a private purchase helmet made for General O'Ryan by "BATES HATTER, 91 JERMYN ST, ST JAMES'S, LONDON". As you can see from the photos the liner was made to be easily removable. This is also the only documented 27th Division helmet done in camouflage.
