MSGT John William Ryon was killed in action on 21 November 1972, when the EC-47 aircraft, callsign BARON 56, on which he was serving on his first mission as an Airborne Radio Communications Analyst, crashed on landing just outside Nakhon Phanom, Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand.

MSGT Ryon was born 9 August 1929, in New London, CT and graduated from Stonington High School, CT in 1947.

MSGT Ryon enlisted in the U.S. Air Force 12 August 1948. After basic training he served in the firefighter career field. In January 1959, MSGT Ryon retrained into the Radio Communications Analyst career field. After technical training at Goodfellow AFB, TX, he served at the 6918th Radio Squadron Mobile, Hakata Air Station, Japan and the 6927th Security Squadron, Onna Point, Okinawa. July 1967, MSGT Ryon returned to Goodfellow AFB as an instructor in the Radio Communications Analyst course. In 1972, he was reassigned to Det 3, 6994th Security Squadron, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand.

MSGT Ryon’s awards and decorations include the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), Berlin Airlift Device, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, and Vietnam Service Medal.

MSGT Ryon is interred in the Evergreen Cemetery, plot 947, Stonington, CT. His name is engraved on the Vietnam Veteran Memorial Wall on Panel 1W, line 92.