TENTH MOUNTAIN DIVISION

LIVING HISTORY DISPLAY GROUP, INC.

Bruce Ryan

In many years of reenacting and working on historical projects, I have come across some individuals who are noteworthy, both for what they do and what they stand for. I have had the privilege of working with Bruce for many years, and found him to be one of those people. He was quick to step forward for any task, even when it was not the most pleasant. He was generous – willing to give you the shirt off his back, even when it caused him inconvienence. He was quiet, avoiding conflict when it wasn’t important, and helping to resolve conflict when it was.

Bruce enjoyed working on his jeeps – a 1944 and a 1945 Willys MB. Having restored them and maintaining them, he was constantly amused when asked “do they run?” “Na – I pushed it here from home!” was one of his many responses, then a chuckle and he’d open the hood to show off that engine. Most of the time he was found with a canteen cup filled with coffee – in fact most photos of Bruce show that cup in his hand – although he was always willing to set it aside to get his hands dirty. He did carpentry, stored our equipment, built displays and cooked breakfast – and was always there when you needed an extra set of hands.

Bruce and his wife raised two boys, instilling in them has sense of right and wrong, and a strong work ethic. With his passing, the world lost a great historian, and we in the Tenth lost a good friend. We joke (to make our pain a little less) and say that Bruce is up there - working on a golden chariot and saying:

“yea – it runs!”