William Calley Biography
William Calley (full name: William Laws Calley Jr.) is a former United States Army officer convicted by court-martial of murdering 22 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai Massacre on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War.
While not technically exonerated, after three and a half years of house arrest, Calley was released pursuant to a ruling by federal judge J. Robert Elliott who found that Calley’s trial had been prejudiced by pre-trial publicity, denial of subpoenas of certain defense witnesses, and inadequate notice of the charges.
His initial conviction faced widespread public opposition both due to the campaign circumstances of civilian-embedded Viet Cong and due to Calley being singled out as the sole officer convicted with respect to the massacre.
10 Quick Facts About William Calley
Here is a list of 10 facts
- Name: William Laws Calley Jr.
- Age: 80 years
- Birthday: 8th June
- Zodiac Sign: Gemini
- Height: Not known
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: Retired army Lt.
- Marital Status: Married
- Salary: Under review
- Net Worth: $500k
William Calley Age
William Calley is 80 years as of 2023. He was born on 8 June 1943, in Florida, United States. Calley celebrates his birthday on the 8th of June every year. His birth sign is Gemini.
William Calley Height
William Calley is a man of average height. His actual height will be uploaded as soon as we have it from a credible source.
William Calley Weight
Calley is a man of moderate weight. His weight and other body measurements are not available at the moment. We shall update this information as soon as it becomes available.
William Calley Early Life and Education
William Calley was born in Miami, Florida. His father, William Laws Calley Sr., was a United States Navy veteran of World War II. Calley Jr. graduated from Miami Edison High School in Miami and then attended Palm Beach Junior College in 1963.
He dropped out in 1964. He then had a variety of jobs before enlistment, including as a bellhop, dishwasher, salesman, insurance appraiser, and train conductor. He joined the Army in 1966 and underwent basic combat training at Fort Bliss, Texas, followed by advanced individual training as a company clerk at Fort Lewis, Washington.
William applied for and was accepted into Officer Candidate School (OCS) and began 26 weeks of junior officer training at Fort Benning in mid-March 1967. He graduated from OCS Class No. 51 on September 7, 1967, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry.
William Calley Family, Parents and Siblings
William Calley was born to his parents in Florida, USA. He is the son of William Laws Calley Sr, a US Navy veteran. He has a sister, but her name is not mentioned. His mother died of cancer in 1966.
William Calley Wife
William Calley was married to Penny Calley, the daughter of a Columbus jeweler. They wedded in 1976 in a candlelight ceremony at St. Paul United Methodist Church. The couple met several years earlier when Calley was a customer in one of Penny’s father’s stores. She was a buyer for her father’s jewelry store.
William Calley Children
William Calley is a proud father of one child. A son called William Laws Calley III.
William Calley Net Worth
William Calley’s net worth is estimated to be around $500k to $1 Million as of 2023. This includes his assets, money, and income. His primary source of income is his career. Through his various sources of income, he has been able to accumulate good fortune but prefers to lead a modest lifestyle.
William Calley Measurements and Facts
Here are some interesting facts and body measurements you should know about William Calley
William Calley Wiki
- Full Name: William Laws Calley Jr
- Popular As: William
- Gender: Male
- Occupation / Profession: Former army Lt.
- Nationality: American
- Race / Ethnicity: White
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
William Calley Birthday
- Age / How Old?: 80 years
- Zodiac Sign: Gemini
- Date of Birth: 8th June 1943
- Place of Birth:Florida, USA
- Birthday: June 8th
William Calley Body Measurements
- Body Measurements: Not known
- Height / How Tall?: Not known
- Weight: Not known
- Eye Color: Brown
- Hair Color: Gray
- Shoe Size: To be updated
William Calley Family and Relationship
- Father (Dad): Not known
- Mother: Not known
- Siblings (Sisters)(Brothers): Two sisters
- Marital Status: Not known
- Partner/Wife: Not known
- Children: Not known
William Calley Networth and Salary
- Net Worth: $500k to $1 million dollars
- Salary: Not known
- Source of Income: His career
William Calley House and Cars
- Place of living: To be updated
- Cars: Car Brand to be updated
William Calley Military career
Calley underwent eight weeks of basic combat training at Fort Bliss, Texas, followed by eight weeks of advanced individual training as a company clerk at Fort Lewis, Washington. Having scored high enough on his Armed Forces Qualification tests, he applied for and was accepted into Officer Candidate School (OCS).
He then began 26 weeks of junior officer training at Fort Benning in mid-March 1967. Upon graduating from OCS Class No. 51 on September 7, 1967, he has commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry. He was assigned to 1st Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 11th Infantry Brigade, and began training at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, in preparation for deployment to South Vietnam.
Calley’s evaluations described him as average as an officer. Later, as the My Lai investigation progressed, a more negative picture emerged. Men in his platoon reported to army investigators that Calley lacked common sense and could not read a map or compass properly.
William Calley Mỹ Lai massacre
In March of 1968 Calley and his men arrived at the village of Mỹ Lai where they murdered hundreds of elderly men, women, children, and infants from allied South Vietnam. In addition, he and his men gang-raped many of the women, some as young as 12 years old, before mutilating them, even stopping to have lunch before resuming their slaughter.
Calley would later claim in court that an air strike had killed innocent civilians. There was no sign of enemy combatants in Mỹ Lai when he and his men arrived.
William Calley Murder trial
William Calley’s murder trial started on November 17, 1970, at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was charged with 22 counts of premeditated murder and one count of assault with intent to commit murder for his role in the Mỹ Lai massacre. He pleaded not guilty and claimed that he was following orders from his superior officer, Captain Ernest Medina.
The trial lasted for four months and involved testimony from more than 100 witnesses, including survivors of the massacre, members of Calley’s platoon, military experts, and journalists. The prosecution argued that Calley had violated the rules of engagement and the Geneva Conventions by ordering his men to kill unarmed civilians who posed no threat to them.
The defense contended that Calley was a scapegoat for a failed war policy and that he had acted in good faith under the belief that he was fighting a ruthless enemy.
On March 29, 1971, the jury of six Army officers found Calley guilty of all charges and sentenced him to life imprisonment with hard labor. However, his sentence was later reduced by several appeals and interventions.
President Richard Nixon ordered him to be placed under house arrest at Fort Benning pending further review. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordered a new trial for Calley in 1973, but the Supreme Court reversed that decision in 1974. In 1974, Secretary of the Army Howard Callaway commuted Calley’s sentence to 10 years.
In 1976, a federal judge ruled that Calley had been denied due process and ordered his immediate release1. Calley served a total of three years and four months under house arrest for the murders.
Calley’s trial raised a heated debate in the United States and around the world about the morality and legality of the Vietnam War. Some people saw him as a hero who had been unfairly punished for doing his duty, while others saw him as a war criminal who had committed a horrific atrocity. Public opinion polls showed that a majority of Americans supported Calley and opposed his conviction.
William Calley Apology
William Calley made his first public apology for his role in the Mỹ Lai massacre in 2009, 41 years after the event. He spoke to a small group of Kiwanis Club members near Fort Benning, Georgia, where he had been tried and convicted of murder in 1971. He said:
“There is not a day that goes by that I do not feel remorse for what happened that day in My Lai. I feel remorse for the Vietnamese who were killed, for their families, for the American soldiers involved, and for their families. I am very sorry.”
Calley’s apology was met with mixed reactions. Some people appreciated his remorse and forgiveness, while others questioned his sincerity and motives. Some survivors of the massacre said they were willing to forgive him, while others said they still wanted justice and compensation.
William Calley Movie
Judgment: The Court Martial of Lt. William Calley, a TV movie that dramatizes William’s court martial for the Mỹ Lai massacre. It was released in 1975.
It stars Tony Musante as Calley, Richard Basehart as his lawyer, Bo Hopkins as the prosecutor, and Harrison Ford as a witness1. The movie was directed by Stanley Kramer and written by Henry Denker.
William Calley Quotes
Frequently Asked Questions About William Calley
William Calley (full name: William Laws Calley Jr.) is a former United States Army officer convicted by court-martial of murdering 22 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai Massacre on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War.
William Calley is 80 years as of 2023. He was born on 8 June 1943, in Florida, United States. Calley celebrates his birthday on the 8th of June every year. His birth sign is Gemini.
William Calley is a man of average height. His actual height will be uploaded as soon as we have it from a credible source.
William Calley was married to Penny Calley, the daughter of a Columbus jeweler. They wedded in 1976 in a candlelight ceremony at St. Paul United Methodist Church. The couple met several years earlier when Calley was a customer in one of Penny’s father’s stores. She was a buyer for her father’s jewelry store.
William Calley’s net worth is estimated to be around $500k to $1 Million as of 2023. This includes his assets, money, and income. His primary source of income is his career.
Details about William’s salary are not yet disclosed. However, information about how much he makes will be updated as soon as it is available.
Because of security reasons, he has not revealed the precise location of his residence. We shall upload the image and address of his house as soon as we get them.
William is alive and in good health. There have been no reports of him being sick or having any health-related issues.
William Calley currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. He is married and has a son. He has avoided public attention for most of his life and rarely gives interviews. He made his first public apology for the massacre in 2009.
William Calley Social Media Contacts
Calley is highly active on social media, maintaining a strong presence across various platforms like Instagram, Twitter Facebook, Youtube, and Tik Tok. Through these channels, he connects with her fans, shares new content, and updates, and cultivates a loyal community around his work. Stay Connected by following his official accounts below:
- Youtube
- Website
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