But despite Thompsons heroic actions, the Army tried to cover up the massacre. To this day I cant remember exactly about that day reporting to Henderson. To do something like that in the whirlwind of war was downright insane, and thats exactly what he did. Just because you tell the truth, it doesnt mean everything always come up roses. Im Irish so Im to suffer. I was encouraged in that there was an investigation going on and they were going after some people in a big way. We didnt talk too much about it ourselves because we reported on it and we were, frankly, preoccupied with the next mission. Yes, and we were checking the perimeter as they were coming in and starting the combat assault. Mr. Thompson, you and Mr. Colburn are indeed the heroes in this sordid story and I am ashamed at how they were treated. At the age of 62, after extensive cancer treatment, Thompson was removed from life support and died on January 6, 2006, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Pineville, Louisiana. Hannah's Testimony - truthsaves.org And on the 30th anniversary of the massacre, Hugh Thompson returned to M Lai. Nearby, a squad of soldiers approached with weapons drawn. These were infants, two-, three-, four-, five-year-olds, women, very old men, no draft-age people whatsoever.. When I arrived at My Lai in 2008, no one knew where he was. TIE LOST SOLDIER Hugh Thompson's Strange Life Will Fill a Book Interestingly, there are those toying with the idea of inviting him to make the trip back to My Lai to ask for the people there for forgiveness. Now Trent Angers, who chronicled Hugh Thompson's heroism during the My Lai massacre of Vietnamese civilians in 1968, believes he has uncovered information about an unseen adversary Thompson fought . Court-martial me, and he left his weapon and walked away. I got there and Ill never forget my mother taking me into the kitchen and telling me if I didnt want to tell these people anything, I didnt have to. But he didnt even draw a sidearm as he walked up to the bunker and motioned to the people to come out. And I was just devastated. It is amazing to see the strength of the human spirit. He angered some GIs as he tried to photograph them as they fondled the breasts of a fifteen-year-old Vietnamese girl. Wed 11 Jan 2006 08.06 EST. We surveyed around the bunker and saw that squad approaching. There could be a reason for doing it, or there could have simply been a complete breakdown in leadership. You are the ones that deserve to be called American Soldiers. You and Thompson must have been good mutual support. Among those numbers were 17 pregnant women and 56 infants. Mr. Thompson landed twice in an effort to determine what was happening, finally coming to the realization that a massacre was taking place. It had to be. Hugh Thompson, an Army helicopter pilot who rescued Vietnamese civilians during the My Lai massacre, reported the killings to his superior officers in a rage over what he had seen, testified at the inquiries and received a commendation from the Army three decades later, died yesterday in Alexandria, La. We thought that was good, that they would be out of the way. PDF The Forgotten Hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson Story This is not what Im here for. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? The lieutenant told him to mind his own business and get out of the way. The truth of the M Lai massacre did not come out until a year and a half later when a soldier whod seen reports on the massacre contacted a journalist. It was about six months ago that the S&P 500 dipped . I walked in and told Henderson we saw unnecessary killing of many civilians. Hugh Thompson was determined to stop the massacre. I may have clipped him but he made it to the trees. They were going to kill more, but they didnt because of what Thompson did. I was hoping there would be justice, but what did it achieve? Colburn came from Atlanta to be at his bedside. We hope to link up with other organizations and grow some legs. Possibly we could have stopped things earlier. You can imagine the emotions that surfaced. Did the boy have a recollection of March 16, 1968? Could you have just reported this and left, knowing youd at least made an effort? We had thought there were two or three, but there were about 10 in the bunker. Calley was convicted, and Medina was acquitted. It was so blatantly wrong what they were doing, we had no choice, we had to do what we did. Today is the 50th anniversary of the My Lai Massacre, when US soldiers raped and murdered 500 Vietnamese civilians and burned their homes. Hugh Thompson: The Forgotten Hero of My Lai - Spec Ops Magazine I have mine put away somewhere, but I think Hugh threw his away one night. If there was anything that was cleansing for me that was it. "I'd received death threats over the phone," he told the CBS News program "60 Minutes" in 2004. On the morning of March 16, 1968, the people of M Lai were making breakfast when soldiers stormed in. What happened next was one of the most remarkable events of the entire war, and perhaps unique: Thompson told the American troops that, if they opened fire on the Vietnamese civilians in the bunker, he and his crew would open fire on them. We know that Americans committed a massacre 50 years ago today; and we also know that an American stopped it. before the subcommittee, and then refused to release the transcripts of the testimony. On March 16, 1968, did you have any expectations of serious action? Ill have no part of this, Ill tear these wings off and never fly again!. What about those who didnt stand up to evil in their midst? Did you fly with him much before My Lai? The military was forced after an eight-year letter writing campaign by David Egan, a professor at Clemson University, and a businessman named William Cavanaugh. Thank you both for being of upstanding and outstanding moral character and having the backbone to stand up for what you know is right! 1895), in United States testimony 1892, typescript, 247, Church History Library, Salt Lake City. I dont know who did what. I enjoyed that. Wed done what we could. I knew General Peers had gotten in touch with Hugh and took him back over to the scene of the crime. Thompsons father played a central role in his childrens education. Everybody walked. When Mr. Thompson returned home, it seemed to him that he was viewed as the guilty party. Then again, it was a Saturday morning and they were possibly going to market. PFC. It went on like that for another year and half until finally they agreed to award medals to all of us. Did the word about what happened at My Lai get around? The bodies of massacred villagers at M Lai, as captured by a U.S. Army photographer. My Lai And Hugh Thompson: A Man of Uncommon Courage This thread is archived New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast 73K 94 2.4K 2.4K comments Best artnaqent 1 yr. ago Standing up for what's right, shouldn't be as hard as that. Hugh and I went in 1998 with 60 Minutes, just after we were given the Soldiers Medal. There was a sergeant standing by the ditch by himself. At the time, I figured he was 3 or 4 years old, he was tiny. They were old women, old men, children, kids, babies., Then Thompson and his crew chief, Glenn Andreotta, and his gunner, Lawrence Colburn, saw some civilians hiding in a bunker, cowering, looking out the door. There are those hardcore people who do still say we shouldnt have told the truth, that we should have covered for those guys in the field; that we didnt know what it was like on the ground. Thompson was vilified by many Americans for his testimony against United States Army personnel. 30 years after the massacre, Thompson and the two other members of his crew, Glenn Andreotta and Lawrence Colburn, were awarded the Soldier's Medal (Andreott. You felt pretty vulnerable in that little helicopter. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Glenn and I were staring them down and watching to see how it would unfold. Document points to Nixon in My Lai cover-up attempt - CBS News But still, who do you shoot? There was also testimony of absolute insanity. By then I was a civilian and was trying to attend college on the GI Bill, but I kept getting subpoenas. I dont know, at the time I thought about creating a diversion, discharging my weapon in another direction. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Opinion: California wants more psychiatric detentions. Just then Glenn spotted some people in an earthen bunker, saw faces peering out of the entry. He remembered Glenn picking him up, seeing me in the ditch. How did you get to the 123rd Aviation Battalion? Still, Thompson had saved civilians who would have been killed if he had not intervened. Innocent people didnt die that day They didnt just fly off the handle and engage a target that was borderline. On March 16, 1968, he was flying a mission in Vietnam and came across a large number of dead civilian bodies; and in pursuing surveillance, he discovered that those civilians had been killed, and the survivors were still under fire, by American forces. They were finally recognized for the heroic act they did. You still didnt understand what was actually happening? After learning about the heroism of Hugh Thompson Jr. during the M Lai Massacre, read about the Gulf of Tonkin incident that started the Vietnam War. Michael Bernhardt, who was at M Lai. Meet the Soldier Who Prevented More Killings During the My Lai Massacre As Hugh jumped out, he told us to take our weapons down off the bungee cords and take some belted ammo and backup weapons and set up a little perimeter around the aircraft. We know that Americans committed a massacre 50 years ago today; and we also know that an American stopped it. Hugh Thompson in his Army uniform, c. 1966. Testimony of Dr. Hugh Thompson, HTA Engineering (Expert Witness) (Exhibit Allegra-10) Exhibit Allegra-10 includes Survey Notes and 12 photographs taken by HTA Engineering on January 12, 2010. Sometimes we did and sometimes we didnt. . That particular morning we were to provide reconnaissance for a ground operation that was going on in My Lai 4, which was better known to us as Pinkville." It was supposed to be a real big operation that day. In unison, all three of us shouted, You son of a bitch! That was Captain Ernest Medina. Ill always know that we did was morally right, we did what we could to help people who could not defend themselves. So, he decided to do something. Fortunately for the monsters that committed these crimes against everything that is good, the generations that remember this (I remember the headlines and I was only 11 years old) are dying off and the current generations of American citizens think the world revolves around them and cant see past the end of their cell phones. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, Opinion: Why my Taiwanese American identity has become more complicated. They were taking volunteers for the 11th Brigade. As we got back on station, we saw a lot of villagers leaving and figured that we may have dropped leaflets or had fired some artillery in morning. The sergeant waited until Thompson left and then fired on the helpless civilians. I am sorry this world has lost you. Hugh was being jovial. Hugh Thompson Jr. was a twenty-five-year-old helicopter pilot and Army warrants officer. A sergeant stood by the ditch. Hugh told me that was what was going through his mind, he was thinking of Nazi Germany, people digging trenches, forced to march into those trenches, mass graves. It wasn't war.". When I got to Vietnam I was attached to a headquarters company. They landed their helicopter between the American forces and the civilians, and they trained their guns on the advancing Americans. We are developing the concept of a Hugh Thompson Medallion to do that. Following graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served in a naval mobile construction battalion at Naval Air Station Atlanta, Georgia, as a heavy equipment operator. Im giving interviews and working with students. I know who I am, Im no hero, I was scared shitless most of the time. Hugh Thompson Profiles | Facebook Afterwards Thompson testified at the trial of Lt. William Calley, the commanding officer during the massacre. They also led as many surviving civilians as they could to shelter. Hugh Thompsonsdefiance and courage with that of his crew had given a new lease of life to others that they saved and will be remembered by all in the face of Humanity and History. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. I thought that from a historical perspective, something needed to be in place so that when Im gone, what Hugh did at My Lai wont just fade into obscurity. Hugh Thompson - Ballotpedia Weve been accused of many things, of being traitors. Ever reflect about how you are part of an event of such historical significance? Did you expect something would be done as a result? So he gave me prescriptions for several psychotropic drugs. When the American people responded as they did in defense of Calley, it was really hard, especially for Hugh. Even though the military has admitted to the massacre, many people are not capable of acknowledging and processing that information. None did. And yes, they did know that. And the Army company only stopped because Thompson literally put himself between the soldiers and the civilians and threatened to shoot them if they didnt end the killings. %%EOF Finally, the Army launched an inquiry. endstream endobj 172 0 obj <. Then, take a look through these declassified Vietnam War photos. You and Hugh had a pretty low profile during and after the trials? We were told by the prosecuting attorneys to keep our mouths shut, and I didnt advertise the fact I was at My Lai. made a statement in Congress honoring Thompson, stating that the United States has lost a true hero, and the State of Louisiana has lost a devoted leader and dear friend. "They said I was screaming quite loud," he told U.S. News & World Report in 2004. I think Task Force Barkers intent was to create panic and drive the enemy forces out of the area. Meet Hugh Thompson, The Hero Who Stopped The M Lai Massacre And Was Branded A Traitor For It. For his interference. In 1964, Thompson received an honorable discharge from the Navy and returned to Stone Mountain to live a quiet life and raise a family with his wife. He said: They are coming this way. I flew with him dozens of times and saw sporadic action. But it turns out he was 8. Upon seeing that, Hugh Thompson landed the helicopter, approached Calley, and talked to him. Hugh said: These people are going to die. I remember catching one of the soldiers eyes and I waved to him and he waved back. Now we saw them again, but they were all lying on the road, dead or dying. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. No Id never seen nor heard of anything like that before, except in World War II. As he told The Associated Press in 2004: "Don't do the right thing looking for a reward, because it might not come. In addition to scholarly publications with top presses, she has written for Atlas Obscura and Ranker. Particularly because of the Peers and the IG investigations, I thought there were people sincere about upholding the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Well, I took the prescriptions, ripped them up into little pieces and walked out. We knew something seemed wrong. In late December 1967, at the age of 25, Hugh Thompson was ordered to Vietnam and assigned to Company B, 123rd Aviation Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Division. Interview: Larry Colburn | American Experience | PBS They waited until the sun went down and they crawled out of that ditch. It took the Army 30 years, but in 1998, they finally acknowledged that Thompson had done something good. The eyewitness testimony of Thompson and his surviving crew member helped convict Calley at a court-martial. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. It all crystallized in that moment. The M Lai massacre started when the U.S. Army declared everyone in a broad region of Vietnam either part of the Viet Cong or sympathizers. Then he assumed the Army initiated an investigation. You know, you think everybody feels you and you can ignore your own symptoms. It was an enemy tactic to blur the lines between combatants and noncombatants. People should realize that when atrocities are committed like this and covered up, it degrades us all. Would I have? They approached but because the aircraft was at flight idle they tended to stay back a little. Upon entering Sn M, officers and soldiers of Company C moved through the Song My Village and vicinity, murdering civilians, raping women, and setting fire to huts. Sorry thats not what we did and I dont care what they think of me. You were a witness for the prosecution in the trials that followed? After the initial shock, I think some sort of a defensive mechanism kicked in. No, but Hugh was sent on missions in his OH-23 with his back up another OH-23no gunshipsinto Dragon Valley, where there was rocket activity. On March 6, 1998, the Army presented the Soldier's Medal, for heroism not involving conflict with an enemy, to Mr. Thompson; to his gunner, Lawrence Colburn; and, posthumously, to Mr. Andreotta, who was killed in a helicopter crash three weeks after the My Lai massacre. The low gun probably did because they had visual and were communicating with Hugh, and Hugh had been telling them what wed been seeing, hoping they were relating that up to the command craft that was flying above at altitude. At that point, Hugh realizes hes got an aircraft that wont accommodate them. They didnt want to. I was on the backup team that day and we went out to try to retrieve the bodies. His final term would have expired in December 2018; he retired in January 2017. As the wounded tried to crawl out, they were fired on by someone who had been left there to do just that. Charles Guiteau told a local newspaper that he shot James A. Garfield without malice or murderous intent.. I was 17 when I enlisted in 1966 with some friends. Then, as I was in this crowd, I turned around and there he waswith his beautiful wife and new baby boy. Hood and my CO called me in, said I had a phone call. On February 8, Congressman Charles Boustany (R-La.) The villagers offered no resistance as U.S. soldiers shoved them into a ditch and opened fire with machine guns. An army helicopter piloted by Chief Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson arrived in the My Lai vicinity about 9 a.m. Thompson noticed dead and dying civilians all over the village. I said Im not really at liberty to say. They tried to make arrangements to get him there, but couldnt find him. The story of My Lai is well known: On the morning of March 16, 1968, a company of U.S. soldiers killed as many as 500 unarmed Vietnamese civilians in My Lai, a village in South Vietnam. That particular morning we were to provide reconnaissance for a ground operation that was going on in My Lai . He wanted to give us some idea of what were getting into. When the orders came down, the CO called me into his office and demanded to know what they were for. It was Hugh and he told me that I would be getting orders to report to Washington. We even started marking the wounded with smoke, thinking the men on ground would come assist them. Testimony to the Truth: Smyth, Reverend Hugh P.: 9781163377390: Amazon We were very protective of the men on the ground.