Eugene Gene F. Ryan Jr.

Eugene graduated from Demarest High School in Hoboken, NJ in 1943 and enlisted in the US Army in 1944, where he served for 29 years. He was assigned to an Infantry Regiment at Camp Pickett, VA, before being sent overseas in October of 1944.

He was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge and awarded the Purple Heart, and Bronze Star. He was assigned to the 29th Infantry Regiment in Frankfurt, Germany. After returning to the states for a brief period, he returned to Frankfurt, Germany assigned to the 13th Constabulary Squadron.

He returned to the states and in 1949, was reassigned to West Point. In March of 1952, he was assigned to Headquarters Company of the XVI Corps in Sendal, Japan. He returned to West Point and in September 1955 was sent to England with the Headquarters Company of the 4th AAA Battalion. He re-enlisted again in September of 1956 with the Headquarters Detachment Group at West Point.

He served in the Headquarters Company in Vietnam. After achieving the rank of Master Sergeant and after many discharges and re-enlistments, he was honorably discharged on August 13th, 1983.

He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge; the Bronze Star; the Purple Heart; Good Conduct Medal; the German Occupation Medal; the EAME with 3 Campaign stars; the WWII Victory Medal; and the National Defense Medal.

After his final discharge from the Army, he returned to civilian life and worked as sexton for St. Thomas the Apostle RC Church in Old Bridge. He was an avid stamp & coin collector, he loved to travel, especially to Hawaii & Germany, and he could be found many Sundays at Monmouth Park Racetrack.

Mr. Ryan was pre-deceased by his wife Sylvia Ballotta Ryan in 1970, his brother, Vincent Ryan, and his sisters, Joyce Ryan and Marylyn Casey. He is survived by his children, Eugene & his wife, Shirley, John & longtime companion, Grace, Patricia Galianese & her husband Eugene, James, Joseph, Jacqueline Loman & her husband Joseph, Daniel, Timothy & his wife Tina, Rita, Thomas & his wife Patricia; his grandchildren, Stephanie, Samantha, Anthony, Sean, Holly, Jacqueline, Jennifer, Marissa, Zachary, Nicholas, Sarah, and Andrew; five great grandchildren, 15 nieces & nephews, and his sister and brother in law, Elizabeth & Joseph McGavin.

Visitation will be on Sunday, October 17, 2010 from 2-4 & 7-9pm at the Michael Hegarty Funeral Home, 3377 Rt. 9, Old Bridge, NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered Monday October 18, 2010 at 10:15am at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Old Bridge. Interment will follow to Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of Flowers, donations to Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Attn: Contributions, 1 Intrepid Square, W. 46th St. & 12th Ave., New York, NY 10036 or www.fallenheroesfund.org