Brigadier General William Thomas Ryder (April 16, 1913 – October 1, 1992) was an officer of the United States Army and the first American paratrooper during World War II.

Ryder helped pioneer Army airborne training, equipment and tactics alongside men like Jim Gavin, William Yarborough, Bill Lee, Art Gorham and Bud Miley.

[5] After hostilities had ceased in Sicily, Gavin tasked Ryder with returning the personal effects of 1st Battalion commander Arthur F. Gorham to his widow.

[6] He is also reported in at least one source to have jumped with the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment in North Africa as part of Operation Torch in October 1942.

Expecting to be deployed to Europe, Ryder was instead ordered in December 1943 to provide roughly 100 replacements for the Pacific theater.

When he returned he received the disheartening news that he was to dispatch 1,000 of his remaining troops to serve as replacements to airborne units in England preparing for the invasion of Europe.

[7] Following promotion to full colonel, in mid-February 1944 Ryder was dispatched to Brisbane, Australia to advise General Douglas MacArthur on airborne operations.

1990, General Ryder represented the Airborne to receive a proclamation by North Carolina Governor Jim Martin honoring the 50th anniversary of his first jump.