Joseph T. Ryan
John Joseph Thomas Ryan (November 1, 1913 – October 9, 2000), better known as Joseph T. Ryan, was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, from 1985 to 1991, having previously served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Anchorage in Alaska from 1966 to 1975. Biography John Ryan was born on November 1, 1913, in Albany, New York, to Patrick and Agnes (Patterson) Ryan. He attended Christian Brothers Academy in Albany, Manhattan College in New York City and St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York. Ryan was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Edmund Gibbons for the Diocese of Albany on June 3, 1939. During World War II, Ryan served in the US Navy Chaplain Corps from 1943 to 1946. He participated in the 1945 Marine landing at Okinawa; he was cited twice for bravery. After his discharge from the Navy, Ryan served in the Diocese of Albany from 1946 to 1957. He was chancellor of the U.S. Military Vicariate from 1957 to 1958. From 1958 to 1960, he was based in Beirut, Lebannon, where he did relief work with the Catholic Near East Welfare Association and the