ACCESSING CLASSIFIED FILES
Decrypting documents...
Your connection is being monitored
Back to Individuals
high risk
Howard Callaway
Secretary of the Army Who Paroled Calley
Secretary of the Army, 1973-1975
Overview
Howard "Bo" Callaway served as the United States Secretary of the Army from 1973 to 1975, during which time he made the politically charged decision to grant parole to Lieutenant William Calley, the only person convicted of murder for the My Lai massacre. Calley had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 1971 for the premeditated murder of 22 Vietnamese civilians, a sentence later reduced to 20 years and then 10 years by the military appeals process. Under Callaway's authority, Calley was paroled after serving only approximately three and a half years, all of it under house arrest at Fort Benning rather than in a military prison. The parole decision was widely seen as politically motivated, coming amid intense public pressure from those who viewed Calley as a scapegoat and from the Nixon administration's desire to put Vietnam behind the country. Callaway was a Georgia Republican who had served as a Congressman and later ran unsuccessfully for governor. His decision to parole Calley effectively ended any semblance of accountability for the My Lai massacre, as Calley was the sole person to serve any time at all for the killing of between 347 and 504 unarmed civilians.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Parole of William Calley: As Secretary of the Army, Callaway authorized the parole of Lieutenant William Calley in November 1974 after Calley had served approximately three and a half years of house arrest at Fort Benning. Calley had been convicted of the premeditated murder of 22 Vietnamese civilians during the My Lai massacre.
Political Motivations Behind Calley Parole: Callaway's decision to parole Calley was widely viewed as politically motivated, aligning with the Nixon and Ford administrations' desire to move past Vietnam. Calley had become a polarizing figure, with significant public support from those who viewed him as a scapegoat or a soldier doing his duty.
House Arrest vs. Military Prison: Under Callaway's predecessor and during his tenure, Calley served his entire sentence under house arrest at Fort Benning, Georgia, rather than in a military prison. This arrangement, extraordinary for a murder conviction, reflected the political sensitivity of the Calley case and the military's discomfort with imprisoning a soldier for following what he claimed were orders.
Failure of Accountability for My Lai: Callaway's parole of Calley was the final chapter in the systematic failure to hold anyone meaningfully accountable for My Lai. Of the 26 soldiers originally charged, only Calley was convicted, and Callaway ensured even he served minimal time.
West Point Graduate Making Military Justice Decision: Callaway was himself a West Point graduate and Army veteran, raising questions about institutional bias in his decision to parole Calley. Critics argued that a fellow military officer making the parole decision for a convicted war criminal represented a conflict of interest within the military justice system.
Later Political Career and Legacy: After leaving the Pentagon, Callaway ran for governor of Georgia in 1966, served as Gerald Ford's campaign chairman in 1976 but resigned amid conflict-of-interest allegations related to a ski resort development. His legacy remains permanently linked to the Calley parole decision.
Related Investigations (1)
Known Associates & Connections
William Calley
My Lai massacre perpetrator whom Callaway paroled
Richard Nixon
President who appointed Callaway as Secretary of the Army
Oran Henderson
11th Brigade commander acquitted of cover-up charges
Sources & Documentation
5 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
National Archives - My Lai Massacre Records
PBS American Experience - My Lai
New York Times Obituary - Howard Callaway (2014)
New York Times - William Calley Apologizes (2009)
Seymour Hersh - My Lai 4: A Report on the Massacre and Its Aftermath (1970)
Personal Information
- Born
- April 2, 1927
- Birthplace
- Pine Mountain, Georgia
Education
- •United States Military Academy at West Point
- •Harvard Law School
Key Timeline
April 2, 1927
Born in Pine Mountain, Georgia
1949
Graduated from United States Military Academy at West Point
1966
Ran for Governor of Georgia as a Republican
1967-1971
Served as U.S. Representative from Georgia's 3rd congressional district
May 1973
Appointed Secretary of the Army by President Nixon
November 1974
Authorized parole of Lieutenant William Calley, ending any prison time for the My Lai massacre
1975
Left office as Secretary of the Army
1976
Served as Gerald Ford's presidential campaign chairman before resigning amid conflict-of-interest allegations
May 1, 2014
Died at age 87 in Pine Mountain, Georgia