Ronald Ridenhour

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Any and all material regarding Ronald Ridenhour.

Ronald Lee Ridenhour (April 6, 1946 – May 10, 1998), as a young GI who served in the 11th Infantry Brigade during the Vietnam War, played a central role in spurring the investigation of the My Lai Massacre.[1]

A helicopter gunner, Ridenhour heard of the massacre from friends while serving in Vietnam. While still on active duty, he gathered eyewitness and participant accounts from other soldiers. On his return to the United States, he sent letters to 30 members of Congress and to Pentagon officials, spurring a probe that led to several indictments against those involved, and the conviction of William Calley. His own account of learning about the massacre can be found in the article, "Jesus Was a Gook," published in Nobody Gets Off the Bus: The Viet Nam Generation Big Book.

Ridenhour, a 1972 graduate of Claremont Men's College, went on to become an investigative journalist, winning a George Polk Award in 1987 for his expose of a tax scandal in New Orleans, based on a year-long investigation.

He died of a heart attack in 1998, aged 52, in Metairie, Louisiana. The Ridenhour Prizes, which "recognize those who persevere in acts of truth-telling that protect the public interest, promote social justice or illuminate a more just vision of society", are named for him.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Joseph Lloyd