Among those he graduated with were Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, James Van Fleet, Joseph T. McNarney and many others who, like Ryder, would also attain general officer rank.

He then served with the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) in New York and, by the time of the American entry into World War I he was a company commander in the 16th Infantry Regiment.

[1][2] Ryder, together with the rest of his regiment, which was now part of the 1st Infantry Brigade of the newly created 1st Division, was sent to the Western Front and arrived there in June 1917, one of the first units of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) to be sent overseas in World War I.

Promoted to captain in May,[3] commanding Company 'B' of the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, Ryder and his regiment, not immediately engaged in combat, spent almost a year being trained in trench warfare tactics from the French Army.

[4] A month later, he led the battalion in the Battle of Soissons, suffering heavy casualties, including Ryder himself, who was wounded by German artillery but continued to lead his men.

[11][12] His son, Charles Wolcott Ryder Jr. was a USMA graduate in the Class of 1941 who served with the 90th Infantry Division, had an equally distinguished career and, like his father, also rose to the rank of major general.