He showed no reaction at all. He was saying: Ill never fly again. How do you think your story, of an event now long in the past, can make a difference? Glenn and I were staring them down and watching to see how it would unfold. ArmyThe bodies of massacred villagers at M Lai, as captured by a U.S. Army photographer. Hugh Thompson was a volunteer officer in the Vietnam War who turned his squad's weapons on American soldiers to stop them raping and murdering more women and . Hugh Thompson died in 2006, when he was only 62. Ill never fly again, he vowed. It is amazing to see the strength of the human spirit. HUGH THOMPSON'S TESTIMONY: I'm Hugh Thompson. 1st Platoon of Company C, commanded by Lieutenant William Laws Calley Jr., forced approximately 7080 villagers, mostly women and children, into an irrigation ditch and murdered the civilians with knives, bayonets, grenades, and small arms fire. "Something terrible happened here 30 years ago today," Mr. Thompson was quoted as saying by CNN. Thompson was buried in Lafayette, Louisiana, with full military honors, including a three-volley salute and a helicopter flyover. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Then came the backlash. The outcome of the trails was disgraceful, and Hugh and I saw that it was a sham. He knew the importance of getting people who are struggling the attention they need so they can transition back into civilian life and deal with problems, be they physical or emotional. He is an amazing person made me cry just reading the research about him. If its not sincere, it doesnt mean anything. Some were sent out into the field for 60-75 days straight, and they started getting the feeling somebody was trying to get rid of them. One morning as I was prepping an aircraft for a mission, he came down and introduced himself. Im going to go over to the bunker myself and get these people out. 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. Some of Calleys men didnt follow Calleys orders and did nothing. Would I have? Charlie Company arrived in M Lai with orders to destroy the village. Sorry thats not what we did and I dont care what they think of me. The photos document the free, unobstructed flow of water through the easement area between the base of the dam and the drop inlets on the . As he approached the soldiers, he told them to stop. And when Hugh Thompson testified against William Calley, the officer who ordered the massacre, Thompson received death threats. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Opinion: California wants more psychiatric detentions. I just figured it was time to do something, to not let these people get killed. Hugh Thompson reported the massacre to his commanding officer. That same day, the cover up started. She enticed me to move to east Oregon, near a ski area. They killed everything. I thought someone else was getting recognition for something. Could you have just reported this and left, knowing youd at least made an effort? Two young infantrymen in Iraq came upon a situation where a number of civilians were questionable and the men werent sure whether to engage or not. We never thought we were heroes. When I moved to the East Coast, I stopped at a VA hospital and had a list of things I thought I should get out. I was back at Ft. Glenn had a visual on some sort of movement in the ditch, so Hugh landed, and Glenn and I got out. They were true American heroes. He remembered how Glenn would put him down and pick him back up as he checked on other victims in the ditch. I know its great copy, but Ive tried to correct the record many times: No one pointed any weapons at anybody. I think it is deception, and that remains constant today. Acadiana People: Angers writes new chapter in Hugh Thompson story These people are going to die, Thompson said to his crew. TIE LOST SOLDIER Hugh Thompson's Strange Life Will Fill a Book No one wants a president to die in office. So I was not a good guy.". No. Hugh Thompson, a pilot of the 123rd Aviation Battalion of the 23rd Americal Division, flew an observational helicopter supporting Task Force Barker on March 16, 1968. Hugh Thompson: The Forgotten Hero of My Lai - Spec Ops Magazine He was first appointed to the court on March 1, 1994, by Governor Zell Miller (D). All content is protected by copyright and may not be used for commercial purposes without prior written permission. Thats unlikely to improve anyones mental health, Letters to the Editor: Yes, we need to talk about Bidens age. Back at their base he filed a complaint about the killing of civilians that he had witnessed. Exactly what you saw. Since we were sitting shoulder to shoulder, we saw virtually the very same things. These were infants, two-, three-, four-, five-year-olds, women, very old men, no draft-age people whatsoever.. 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 . In 2001 we went back and were reunited with the boy in the ditch. I was aghast at hearing how Lt William Calley got away with cold blooded murder, spending one day behind bars as a convicted criminal. I want you to come down here and shuttle these people out of here. And thats what happened, but at that he had to make two trips. Ill have no part of this, Ill tear these wings off and never fly again!. It is denial, a refusal to believe our young men could run amok the way they did. Larry Colburn was a door gunner with crew chief Glenn Andreotta and Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson as pilot of a small scout . Mr. Thompson, you and Mr. Colburn are indeed the heroes in this sordid story and I am ashamed at how they were treated. 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. And just sitting there saying, God, howd this happen? 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. There were probably 10 in the squad. But I really didnt know what was going to happen or how to react. I went back in 2008 for the 40th anniversary. He studied mortuary science and became a licensed funeral director. %%EOF
If there was anything that was cleansing for me that was it. There was a sergeant standing by the ditch by himself. An American Hero - CBS News Meet the Soldier Who Prevented More Killings During the My Lai Massacre Youve got to love this guy. Were you vilified or the target of death threats the way Hugh Thompson was? Those on station knew something about it but not many saw it up close and personal except for the men on the ground and a couple of helicopter crews. Hugh Clowers Thompson Jr. (April 15, 1943 - January 6, 2006) was a United States Army Major, and a former warrant officer in the 123rd Aviation Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Division.He is credited with ending the M Lai Massacre of the South Vietnamese village known as Sn M on March 16, 1968, alongside and hierarchically above Glenn Andreotta and Lawrence Colburn. So, what do you make of Calleys apology last year? But eventually the journalist Seymour Hersh found out about the massacre, and his report made it worldwide news and a turning point in the war. So you were encouraged at that point? 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. Afterwards Thompson testified at the trial of Lt. William Calley, the commanding officer during the massacre. This fella stood up and said: Fuck you. Join Facebook to connect with Hugh Thompson and others you may know. Instead, the Army hid the slaughter of hundreds of innocent people, including 182 women and 173 children. How do you intend to spread the word about the foundation? These people appeared to be no threat at all, and we couldnt figure out why they were fired on and killed as they were leaving the area. Larry Colburn talks about his late friend Hugh Thompson, the My Lai massacre, the subsequent cover up, investigations and trials, https://www.historynet.com/interview-larry-colburn-why-my-lai-hugh-thompson-matter/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot. Now we saw them again, but they were all lying on the road, dead or dying. I was on the backup team that day and we went out to try to retrieve the bodies. We also want to carry on Hughs passionate advocacy for all veterans, not just Vietnam vets. We surveyed around the bunker and saw that squad approaching. He threw his weapon down and said he wasnt going to do it. Glenn took a .51-caliber in the head, he was dead before he hit the ground. Did they know that somebody tried to help? But it turns out he was 8. The Army covered it up. I met Thompson in 2000 and interviewed him for my radio program on KPFK in Los Angeles. It can be disturbing. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. There were real good highs, he told me, and very low lows. Hannah's Testimony. Hugh Thompson | US news | The Guardian And then she finished her sentence: she said, So we could forgive them. Im not man enough to do that. After we took the boy to Quang Nai, we went back to our base, and Hugh Thompson and I reported to Colonel Oran Henderson. 0
When the orders came down, the CO called me into his office and demanded to know what they were for. For his interference. Did the word about what happened at My Lai get around? We had no direct radio contact with the men on the ground. On March 16, 1968, Chief Warrant Officer Thompson and his two crewmen were flying on a reconnaissance mission over the South Vietnamese village of My Lai when they spotted the bodies of men, women and children strewn over the landscape. Yes, and we were checking the perimeter as they were coming in and starting the combat assault. The . "Dead animals on your porch, mutilated animals on your porch some mornings when you get up. Hugh Thompson reported the massacre to his commanding officer. They were taking volunteers for the 11th Brigade. On March 16, 1968, a company of U.S. soldiers stormed into the Vietnamese village of Sn M and began shooting. Amid a flurry of corporate earnings releases and somewhat lackluster market activity last week, an important milestone went largely unnoticed. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. Did the boy have a recollection of March 16, 1968? 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. Trent Angers, Thompsons biographer and friend, analyzed the list and found about 50 there who were 3 years old or younger. When did you see those particular villagers again? Anyone can read what you share. As we did, we heard automatic weapon fire. It wasn't war.". Ever reflect about how you are part of an event of such historical significance? Of course anyone thinking of making a career in the military probably pretended they never heard anything. I dont know, at the time I thought about creating a diversion, discharging my weapon in another direction. Thompson testified about the massacre in the U.S. government's military trials, but according to author Trent Angers, two Congressmen who were working in concert with Nixon, managed to seal that. At the time, I figured he was 3 or 4 years old, he was tiny. All of the investigations led to nothing, Hugh and I felt like all three trials were just window dressing. Instead, the Army hid the slaughter of hundreds of innocent people, including 182 women and 173 children. Hannah's Testimony - truthsaves.org Thompson was vilified by many Americans for his testimony against United States Army personnel. It was women, children and elders we saw. It was an enemy tactic to blur the lines between combatants and noncombatants. And then she finished her sentence: she said, So we could forgive them.'. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. In the midst of it, they had a conversation like this: Remember those old guys from Vietnam and what they told us back at Annapolis?. Hugh Thompson and My Lai - CounterPunch.org I flew from Ft. 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. It was Hugh and he told me that I would be getting orders to report to Washington. Hugh was running scenarios through his head to figure it out. He wanted to give us some idea of what were getting into. You and Thompson must have been good mutual support. My Lai massacre was a bloody stain of the Vietnam War, but one man changed the course of the battle and went from traitor to hero. But one of things the most infuriating is being called a whistleblower, as if we went and ratted someone out. I always thought the American people deserved to know what was going on and I just thought it was good the public got a color photo layout of what happened at My Lai. Then He Assassinated a US President. Yet in the midst of the chaos and bloodshed, one U.S. soldier followed his convictions. It was absurd, but you have to be willing to pay the price. I dont know how they found me, but I gave a brief interview, and it appeared with the Life magazine photo spread in December 1969. He teaches the U.S. history survey since 1877 and specialized courses on Vietnam, 1960s America, and U.S. foreign relations. Calley told Thompson that he was following orders, presumably from Capt. I said Im not really at liberty to say. The My Lai story and Hugh Thompsons role in it is really important, but do you find most people are unaware of it? Do you think most people realize there was more than just the killing that was going on? Prepared Testimony and Statement for the Record of Hugh Thompson Chief Technology Officer Hearing on "Bolstering the Government's Cybersecurity: Lessons Learned from WannaCry" Before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee on Research and Technology He was very helpful to General Peers and it seemed like he wasnt just going through the motions, it was like he really wanted to know what happened. 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.. 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. Are you guys with me?. But in the end,. But remember, at My Lai only about a third of the men participated in the massacre, but no one else tried to stop it. We are inundated with information but we are not very well informed. Indeed, for a time, Thompson himself feared court-martial. Hes saved lives again. We loved those guys in the field. Thompsons father played a central role in his childrens education. That Is little Hugh!" It was "Little Hugh" sure enough. We thought that was good, that they would be out of the way. They waited until the sun went down and they crawled out of that ditch. In about 10-15 minutes we were back to the same spot where we saw the villagers on the road leaving. The bodies of massacred villagers at M Lai, as captured by a U.S. Army photographer. In the last incident, his helicopter was brought down by enemy machine-gun fire, and he broke his back in the resulting crash landing. Interview - Larry Colburn: Why My Lai, Hugh Thompson Matter NYPD officers face departmental trial over shooting death of mentally 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. They were finally recognized for the heroic act they did. Glenn Andreotta was killed just a few weeks after My Lai? That morning was clear and as we came over a hilltop we saw a suspect in uniform with a pack, carrying a carbine in the middle of a rice paddy. Did you get help? 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 dont know who did what. He has had an impact on many young minds in the military. When I got to Vietnam I was attached to a headquarters company. When did you meet Hugh Thompson? Traces the life of U.S. Army helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson, who tried to stop the infamous My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War Genres NonfictionHistoryWar BiographyMilitary HistoryMilitary Fiction 248 pages, Hardcover First published May 1, 1999 Book details & editions About the author Trent Angers 40 books6 followers Friends Following An Account of the My Lai Courts-Martial - University of Missouri But still, who do you shoot? It was denial on the part of the public, said Colburn. By then I was a civilian and was trying to attend college on the GI Bill, but I kept getting subpoenas. He started accusing me of being with CID. How could I ever be prepared for something like that? No, we had no knowledge of who they were, we just knew they were Americans on the ground and we would have done anything for them. But, after going through the process and seeing the ultimate outcome, I wasnt really surprised, but I was disillusioned. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. Now that the dynamics have changed with Hugh passing, I understand now how difficult it was for him, carrying it around in his gut, alone. The My Lai massacre of March 16, 1968, stands as one of the darkest moments in U.S. military history. It was denial on the part of the public. That seemed suicidal to me, going out with next to no backup or firepower. But he didnt even draw a sidearm as he walked up to the bunker and motioned to the people to come out. Im not going to let this happen, weve got to do something. Did you fly with him much before My Lai? We didnt know what was happening. Hell, I didnt want to believe it, either, but I had no choice because I saw it. Meet the Participants | American Experience | Official Site | PBS Well, Hugh told them, if you just give it to me Ill take the medal, with a camera crew, to the first mens room I can find and Ill flush it down the toilet. This is a colonel he is talking to. How did you get to the 123rd Aviation Battalion? Whats going on? And we started thinking what might have happened, but you didnt want to accept that thought because if you accepted it, that means your own fellow Americans, people you were there to protect, were doing something very evil.. Thompson left the Army in 1983 and became a private helicopter pilot in the South. Hugh Thompson, the hero who stopped a massacre committed by US - Reddit Today theres a little museum in My Lai, where Thompson is honored, and which displays a list of the names and ages of people killed that day. Saw some advancing Americans coming that way. But when he returned to his Stateside home in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Thompson. On the morning of March 16, 1968, the people of M Lai were making breakfast when soldiers stormed in. When I finally got in to see the guy, he was a major, he wouldnt make eye contact as I read my list. Thompson landed his helicopter next to a ditch that contained 150 people many dead, but many others wounded and trying to escape. Billy Waugh, Famed Special Forces Warrior and CIA Legend, Dies At 93. No. But to see people herded up like so many animals, marched into a ditch and machine-gunned? But despite Thompsons heroic actions, the Army tried to cover up the massacre. One of the instructors told me a story that he wished Hugh could hear. When Hugh gave his order, I distinctly remember pointing my weapon directly down at the ground, so there was no question. When we would come back to those we marked, wed find they were now dead. I was encouraged in that there was an investigation going on and they were going after some people in a big way. What did you do after My Lai for the rest of your tour? HUGH THOMPSON: I'm Hugh Thompson. Jon Wiener is professor emeritus of history at UC Irvine, and working, with Mike Davis, on a book on Los Angeles in the 1960s. 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. When I arrived at My Lai in 2008, no one knew where he was. This is not what Im here for. Im not going to let this happen, weve got to do something. Unfortunately, Lt. Calley and the rest of Company C never paid the price for the atrocities they committed. Thompson and his crew stood in front of the bunker, protecting the civilians. Ive tried to put myself in their position, tried to empathize. Justice, if it could ever be achieved in this case, would have been to line each and every one of them up in front of a firing squad and start shooting from the knees up. 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. Hugh Thompson Jr. - Wikiwand At 8 years old, he made his way about 10 miles through the jungle by himself to the village. I looked at them and the first thing I saw was, Reason: to conduct necessary military business. So thats all I would tell the CO. You found later that that wasnt true? For the sake of any kind of lame justice, they should have been put to death for their atrocities. Through the years, he continued to speak out, having been invited to West Point and other military installations to tell of the moral and legal obligations of soldiers in wartime. With Hugh, usually the more tense the situation, the more comical he would be. What did you see when first flying over My Lai? Meet Hugh Thompson, The Hero Who Stopped The M Lai Massacre And Was Branded A Traitor For It. In addition to scholarly publications with top presses, she has written for Atlas Obscura and Ranker. He kept the aircraft and himself in between these people and the squad. Many fellow GIs still dont think you did the right thing? Glenn said, If we are going to do something, we better do it right now! So Hugh lands right between the approaching squad and the bunker. You can imagine the emotions that surfaced. The daring act of a man in defiance of combat differences in saving unarmed civilians from being deliberately butchered by his own side while under combat orders. We know that Americans committed a massacre 50 years ago today; and we also know that an American stopped it. Hugh Thompson was a helicopter pilot in 1968, on a day American soldiers gunned down more than 500 unarmed civilians in a village called My Lai. Hugh Thompson Jr. was a twenty-five-year-old helicopter pilot and Army warrants officer. We are developing the concept of a Hugh Thompson Medallion to do that. by Vietnam magazine 2/7/2011. That morning, Hugh said, This is supposed to be a VC stronghold, but you know G2. Usually, when intelligence said an area was hot, it wasnt, and visa versa.