LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – On a cold Tuesday morning, more than 200 people, including family, friends and fellow service members, gathered at the Arkansas State Cemetery to pay respects to a retired major general.
According to his obituary, Major General James A. “Jack” Ryan passed away peacefully on Nov. 25 at the age of 95.
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The solemn ceremony began at 10 a.m. with a 13-round cannon salute fired by the Arkansas National Guard’s 206th Field Artillery, honoring Ryan’s rank as a two-star general.
Although poor weather forced the cancellation of a planned flyover, the ceremony retained its full dignity and planned honors with a 21-soldier honor detail, a six-man flag folding team, the playing of Taps and a precision rifle volley that echoed across cemetery grounds…