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Eighty years after an act of desperate survival in a German prisoner-of-war camp, 101-year-old World War II veteran Robert Ryan was recently honored with a poignant reminder of his youth and resilience: a new Marquette Catholic High School class ring. The original, a cherished memento from his 1941 graduation, was traded for a simple can of sardines during the harsh deprivations of captivity, a testament to the grim realities faced by so many during the war.
Born and raised in Alton, Illinois, Ryan’s life took a dramatic turn following the attack on Pearl Harbor. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps, training as a navigator for the formidable B-17 Flying Fortress bombers that formed the backbone of the Allied strategic bombing campaign over Europe. As part of the 8th Air Force, Ryan and his crew were tasked with perilous missions deep into enemy territory, facing relentless anti-aircraft fire and Luftwaffe fighters.
It was on his fifth bombing mission in May 1944 that Ryan’s luck ran out. While flying over Nazi Germany, his B-17 was struck by enemy fire, crippling the aircraft and forcing the crew to bail out from an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet. Ryan vividly recalls the terrifying descent and the uncertainty of his fate. "I knew we were in trouble when my pilot came over the intercom and said, 'Pilot to navigator. How far away from Switzerland?'" he recounted in a recent interview. He landed on German soil and was quickly captured.
Thus began a harrowing year as a prisoner of war. Ryan, then a young man in his early twenties, endured the severe hunger, deplorable conditions, and gnawing uncertainty that were the hallmarks of POW life. He was initially interrogated before being sent to various camps, including Stalag Luft III B, located about 80 miles southeast of Berlin. It was within the confines of one such camp, driven by extreme hunger, that he made the difficult decision to trade his Marquette High School class ring with a Russian prisoner for a precious can of sardines. "It wasn't doing me any good," Ryan stated matter-of-factly, a comment that underscores the life-or-death choices faced by POWs.
As Allied forces closed in from both east and west in the spring of 1945, the Germans began forcibly marching prisoners away from the advancing front lines. Ryan was part of a brutal evacuation, a forced march of roughly 60 miles through a blizzard, followed by transport in an overcrowded boxcar to another camp near Munich. Liberation finally came on April 29, 1945, when elements of General George S. Patton's U.S. 3rd Army reached his camp. Ryan has spoken of the profound emotional impact of witnessing the Nazi swastika flag being lowered and the American flag raised in its place – a powerful symbol of freedom regained.
Decades passed. Ryan returned to Alton, pursued a legal career, and built a life, the memories of his wartime service and sacrifice a constant, if often unspoken, companion. The story of his traded class ring, however, eventually reached the ears of his alma mater. In a heartwarming ceremony held in April 2025 at Marquette Catholic High School, Robert Ryan, now a centenarian who still practices law, was completely surprised with a brand-new Class of 1941 ring. The project was initiated after a WWII researcher learned of the ring trade and contacted the school. Staff members, working with Jostens, who generously donated the ring, meticulously planned the event.
Lieutenant General Jered P. Helwig of U.S. Transportation Command, based at nearby Scott Air Force Base, participated in the presentation, underscoring the significance of Ryan’s service and sacrifice. Ryan was also presented with a folded American flag, a poignant echo of the flag raised at his liberation. Visibly moved, Ryan accepted the ring with his characteristic humility and wit. "The original ring was worth a can of sardines," he joked. "This one's probably worth more. Maybe two cans." He emphasized that he and his fellow servicemen simply did what they had to do during the war and were fortunate to survive.
The ceremony served as a powerful living history lesson for the current students of Marquette, connecting them directly to a graduate whose life embodied courage, resilience, and the enduring spirit of survival. For Robert Ryan, the new ring is more than just a piece of jewelry; it is a tangible link to his past, a symbol of a sacrifice made in the darkest of times, and a testament to a community that never forgot. His story, like that of so many of his generation, remains a vital reminder of the true cost of freedom and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
