In EP 43 of Ask a Vet, Ron Holdaway shares a remarkable journey from growing up in Wyoming to serving as a senior Army lawyer involved in historic cases during Vietnam and beyond. Discover his perspectives on military justice, the Vietnam War, and the lessons learned from a lifetime of service.
CHAPTERS:
01:00 - Growing up in Wyoming & becoming a lawyer
02:37 - ROTC, JAG Corps & early military career
07:21 - First assignments & court-martial work
12:04 - Postings in Hawaii, Germany & Vietnam
14:39 - First war crime case & combat refusals
16:10 - Deployment to Vietnam
21:36 - Arrival & life in Vietnam
27:15 - Living under fire & shrapnel injuries
31:00 - Soldier shoots fellow soldier on drugs
33:01 - The 1st Cavalry Division
36:20 - War crimes, mutilation & drug enforcement
43:53 - The Mealy incident
45:07 - Lieutenant Calley's court-martial & media fallout
48:18 - Leaving Vietnam & anti-war sentiment back home
51:33 - Pentagon, Europe & promotion to Colonel
59:38 - Chief Judge & career reflections
63:43 - Final thoughts on Vietnam & life lessons
🎖️ Ask A Vet is dedicated to documenting and preserving veterans' stories in their own words, on their own terms, before their stories are gone forever. If you believe these stories matter, please subscribe, like, comment, and share. Your support helps us preserve the voices of those who served.
✈️ Ask A Vet is proud to partner with Utah Honor Flight — giving veterans a free trip to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials built in their honor. Every flight is free to veterans and made possible by generous donors. Learn more or support the mission at utahonorflight.org or find your local hub at honorflight.org.
