Decorations and Recognitions
His military decorations and awards include the Lancaster County Veterans Association of Veterans Award for excellence and military preservation; Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters; Army Distinguished Service Medal; Silver Star with oak leaf cluster; Legion of Merit; Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster; Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters; Purple Heart; French Croix de Guerre with Palm; Chinese Order of the Cloud and Banner, 1st Class with Grand Cordon, and 2d Class; Republic of Korea National Security Merit First Class; the Vietnamese National Order of Vietnam/Commander and Gallantry Cross with Palm; Grand Cross, Royal Order of Phoenix (Greece); and Grand Cross of Aeronautical Merit (Spain).
In July 1971, General Ryan became the first foreign dignitary to receive the Golden Wings of the Philippine Air Force. Additional foreign decorations are Chilean Military Star of the Armed Forces, Class of Great Star for Military Merit; French Legion of Honor, Degree of Commander; and the Brazilian Order of Aeronautical Merit, Degree of Grand Official.
In December 1962, he joined a select group of athletes, who have been successful in their professional careers since their college football days, when he was chosen a member of the Sports Illustrated Silver Anniversary All-American team.
He received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, on May 30, 1966; and an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Akron, Ohio, on June 5, 1967.
General Ryan's son, General Michael E. Ryan, USAF, also held the position of Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. Unlike the elder Ryan's career as bomber pilot, the younger Ryan was a fighter pilot.
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“Let the realist not mind appearances. Let him delegate to others the costly courtesies and decorations of social life. The virtues are economists, but some of the vices are also. Thus, next to humility, I have noticed that pride is a pretty good husband. A good pride is, as I reckon it, worth from five hundred to fifteen hundred a year.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)