Cornelius Ryan
Cornelius Ryan | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 5, 1920 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | November 23, 1974 (aged 54) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, writer |
| Years active | 1940–1974 |
| Known for | Military histories of World War II |
| Notable work | The Longest Day, The Last Battle, A Bridge Too Far |
Cornelius Ryan (June 5, 1920 – November 23, 1974) was an Irish-born journalist and writer, celebrated for his bestselling military histories centered on World War II. His notable works include The Longest Day: 6 June 1944 D-Day (1959), The Last Battle (1966), and A Bridge Too Far (1974).
Originating from Dublin, Ryan embarked on his journalism career in London in 1940, reporting on World War II while accompanying Allied forces throughout Europe. After the war, he covered the founding of Israel before relocating to the United States in 1947 to join Time. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1951 and remained in the U.S. until his passing.
Early life and education
Ryan received his education at Synge Street CBS in Dublin and pursued violin studies at the Irish Academy of Music. He was actively involved with the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland and took part in their 1934 pilgrimage to Rome.
Career
In 1941, Ryan secured a position as a war correspondent for The Daily Telegraph in London, initially focusing on the aerial battles over Europe. Following America's entry into the war, he participated in fourteen bombing missions with both the Eighth Air Force and Ninth Air Force. He then accompanied General George S. Patton’s Third Army until the conclusion of hostilities in Europe, subsequently covering operations in the Pacific theater. In 1946, he reported on the termination of British rule in Palestine and the birth of Israel.
After relocating to the United States in 1947, Ryan joined Time magazine, where he covered atomic bomb tests and the 1948 Israeli conflict. His writings also appeared in Collier's Weekly and Reader's Digest. He married novelist Kathryn Morgan and was granted U.S. citizenship in 1951.
Driven by a fascination with Operation Overlord, Ryan undertook over a thousand interviews with Allied, German, and French participants beginning in 1949. This extensive research resulted in The Longest Day (1959), an authoritative narrative of D-Day that quickly became a bestseller; film rights sold for $175,000, and Ryan contributed to the screenplay of its 1962 cinematic adaptation.
His 1957 publication One Minute to Ditch! recounted a successful emergency ocean landing of a Pan American Boeing Stratocruiser, expanding upon an earlier article published in Collier's.
Published in 1966, The Last Battle offered a comprehensive portrayal of the Battle of Berlin through diverse viewpoints—including civilian and military accounts from American, British, Russian, and German perspectives—emphasizing the intricate political rivalries among Allies competing for control over Germany. The book also incorporated Soviet narratives concerning Hitler’s demise.
A Bridge Too Far (1974) analyzed Operation Market Garden, an unsuccessful Allied airborne operation in the Netherlands; this work was later adapted into a major motion picture released in 1977.
Following a prostate cancer diagnosis in 1970, Ryan completed A Bridge Too Far despite his illness. He passed away in Manhattan during promotional activities just two months after the book’s publication. His final resting place is Ridgebury Cemetery in Ridgefield, Connecticut.
After his death, his wife Kathryn released A Private Battle (1978), a memoir derived from his personal notes chronicling his last years.
At Simon & Schuster, Ryan’s editor was Peter Schwed with support from Michael Korda; his literary representation was managed by agent Paul Gitlin.
Legacy and distinctions
- Ryan was honored with the prestigious French Legion of Honour.
- He was granted an honorary Doctorate in Literature by Ohio University, where his documents are preserved as the Cornelius Ryan Collection within the Vernon R. Alden Library.
Works
- 1946 – Star-Spangled Mikado – co-authored with Frank Kelley. Published in New York City by R.M. McBride.
- 1950 – MacArthur: Man of Action – written alongside Frank Kelley. Released in Garden City, New York by Doubleday.
- 1957 – One Minute to Ditch!. Issued in New York by Ballantine Books.
- 1959 – The Longest Day: 6 June 1944 D-Day. Published in Greenwich, Connecticut by Fawcett Publications.
- 1966 – The Last Battle. New York City publication by Simon & Schuster.
- New English Library edition (1979) – .
- Reprint by Simon & Schuster (1995) –
- 1974 – A Bridge Too Far. Released in New York City through Simon & Schuster.
- 1979 – A Private Battle. Published posthumously with Kathryn Morgan Ryan. Available from Simon & Schuster in New York City.
External links
- Cornelius Ryan Collection of World War II Papers – Ohio University Libraries
- The Reporter Whom Time Forgot by Michael Shapiro, Columbia Journalism Review
- The Ryan Collection at the Library of Trinity College Dublin
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1920 births
- 1974 deaths
- Bancarella Prize winners
- The Daily Telegraph people
- Deaths from prostate cancer in New York (state)
- Irish emigrants to the United States
- Journalists from Dublin (city)
- Irish male writers
- Irish war correspondents
- Recipients of the Legion of Honour
- Time (magazine) people
- War writers
- American historians of World War II
- 20th-century Irish writers
- 20th-century Irish historians
- 20th-century American male writers
- 20th-century American historians
- American military historians
- American male non-fiction writers
- People educated at Synge Street CBS
- War correspondents of World War II
- 20th-century English businesspeople