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New York Giants Honor WWII Veteran During Game for Service and Loyalty to the Team

There’s one World War II veteran out there who has watched a lot of New York Giants football. And on Sunday, the team honored him for his service and loyalty.

Francis Ryan is from Sheepshead Bay, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. The 94-year-old is a proud World War II vet but he is also a longtime New York Giants fan. As a matter of fact, he has been a Giants’ season ticket holder for an astounding 63 seasons.

As a result, the team honored Ryan for both his military service and his loyalty to the team. The ceremony took place prior to kickoff of the Giants game against the Carolina Panthers at Metlife Stadium. The World War II vet caught up with the New York Post for an interview after the game.

“It was unbelievable, greater than anything I could’ve imagined,” Ryan said. “As always, the Giants fans were awesome. I am truly honored.”

The World War II veteran has been a Giants season ticket holder since 1957. If you can remember back then, the team was playing at Yankee Stadium and the price of tickets was only $40. Ryan told the outlet about who his favorite players have been over the years.

“Frank Gifford was my favorite, ” he explained. “YA Title, Charlie Connerly were great. Today’s players couldn’t measure up to those guys.”

He later added, “Lawrence Taylor and Michael Strahan were great too.”

WWII Vet Was Stunned When New York Giants Called

Francis Ryan went to James Madison High School in Brooklyn. And right after high school, he joined the United States Army. He went on to serve in the Panama Canal Zone during World War II. For those who don’t know, Panama was of major strategic importance to the Allied war effort. It was an invaluable link between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Therefore, the defense of the canal zone became one of the top concerns in the American Theater.

Meanwhile, the WWII veteran became the recipient of multiple medals including the Victory and American Theater medals. Despite his incredible resume, Ryan said that he was still stunned when his favorite football team wanted to honor him on the field on Sunday.

“I was stunned when the Giants called me,” explained. “It is an unbelievable thrill and honor to be recognized for both my loyalty as a fan and my military career.”

In the end, it’s safe to say that Francis Ryan is proud of all he has accomplished in life. Speaking of which, he doesn’t think he can ask for anything more. Well, maybe there is one more thing he wants to see.

“I can’t ask for anything more,” he concluded, “except maybe another Super Bowl.”