"They said I was screaming quite loud," he told U.S. News & World Report in 2004. Thompsons father played a central role in his childrens education. Whats that make you, my buddy? So, just because guys served in the same theater doesnt necessarily mean we are all that close. Except for the boy, it appeared the rest were already dead. When I finally got in to see the guy, he was a major, he wouldnt make eye contact as I read my list. I think Task Force Barkers intent was to create panic and drive the enemy forces out of the area. Landed the aircraft in between the Americans and the Vietnamese, told my crew chief and gunner to cover me, got out of the aircraft, went over to the American side.. As children ran for safety, soldiers gunned them down. 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. We know that Americans committed a massacre 50 years ago today; and we also know that an American stopped it. Calley was the only person found guilty out of the 14 charged. 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. How many men were in squad and were they threatening? He is best known for his role in stopping the My Lai Massacre, in which a group of US Army soldiers tortured and killed several hundred unarmed Vietnamese civilians, mutilating their bodies after they had been murdered. That was a point of no return for Thompson? We came across a ditch, with probably 150 or more people in it and the wounded trying to crawl out. The hero received death threats for speaking out about the massacre. Using hand signals, Mr. Thompson persuaded the Vietnamese to come out while ordering his gunner and his crew chief to shoot any American soldiers who opened fire on the civilians. 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. Upon coming home, he got death threats and the like. Instead, the Army hid the slaughter of hundreds of innocent people, including 182 women and 173 children. They were finally recognized for the heroic act they did. Glenn had a visual on some sort of movement in the ditch, so Hugh landed, and Glenn and I got out. Hugh and I went in 1998 with 60 Minutes, just after we were given the Soldiers Medal. Hugh said, Im going to take him on the right, which meant he was my target. He is still tiny, but he remembers everything. I was aghast at hearing how Lt William Calley got away with cold blooded murder, spending one day behind bars as a convicted criminal. Jan. 6 defendant Dustin Thompson, who blamed Trump for storming Capitol Larry Colburn talks about his late friend Hugh Thompson, the My Lai massacre, the subsequent cover up, investigations and trials. These people are going to die, Thompson said to his crew. Calley was convicted, and Medina was acquitted. Anyway, they remembered our story about My Lai, and instead of just lighting up a target, they took the time to analyze and study the situation. Hugh came back to the aircraft and because we had flight helmets on and the aircraft was running, we had to literally put our heads together as Hugh shouted instructions. Did the gunship crews know what was happening on the ground before this? How do you think your story, of an event now long in the past, can make a difference? Upon seeing that, Hugh Thompson landed the helicopter, approached Calley, and talked to him. My Lai And Hugh Thompson: A Man of Uncommon Courage But I really didnt know what was going to happen or how to react. Im Irish so Im to suffer. In addition to scholarly publications with top presses, she has written for Atlas Obscura and Ranker. I wanted to survive and get home. When Hugh gave his order, I distinctly remember pointing my weapon directly down at the ground, so there was no question. 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. There was also testimony of absolute insanity. How did you get to the 123rd Aviation Battalion? Since Hughs death, I have become the recipient of some of the hate mail he used to get. Only he would have known that. Hugh Thompson and his crew rescued a surviving child whom they flew to the nearest field hospital. Remember, this was later in the morning approaching noon, most of the killing had already been done. Thompson ran over and said, These are civilians, we got to help them out.. It was about six months ago that the S&P 500 dipped . Did you consider bringing gunships to ferry out others from the ditch? Im giving interviews and working with students. Ultimately, it was a pubic relations move, they had to give the medal. Hugh Thompson Jr. - Wikipedia Medina and maybe higher. I felt that my testimony validated Hughs, and that was why it was important. Then he assumed the Army initiated an investigation. No, because the commander was on a different frequency. Nicholas Goldberg: Is God on the side of blasphemy laws? Thompson had become something of a professional witness. 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. PDF The Forgotten Hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson Story Oh, no, Mr. Thompson, let me see what we can do, he said. He remembered Glenn picking him up, seeing me in the ditch. Then, take a look through these declassified Vietnam War photos. That particular morning we were to provide reconnaissance for a ground operation that was going on in My Lai . They were going to kill more, but they didnt because of what Thompson did. Hugh Thompson was a United States Army Major and a former warrant officer in the 123rd Aviation Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Division who helped end the My Lai Massacre of the South Vietnamese village known as Sn M on March 16, 1968. 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. How did you feel about that? by Vietnam magazine 2/7/2011. I enjoyed that. My Lai Massacre: Vietnam War & Colin Powell - HISTORY Calley had many supporters, who condemned and harassed Thompson. Like most 18-year-old males I was nave, had no idea what risks were. They waited until the sun went down and they crawled out of that ditch. However, Ive spoken to survivors on different occasions who had been at the bottom of the pile. 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. Hugh Thompson & Helicopter Crew Honored for Helping End My - YouTube Mercy Thompson and the Revelation on Marriage - The Church of Jesus If its not sincere, it doesnt mean anything. The eyewitness testimony of Thompson and his surviving crew member helped convict Calley at a court-martial. Our purpose for being there was to protect them. Hugh Thompsons actions may be unique. So, how did you guys feel when you got the Soldiers Medals in 1998? They were face to face, screaming at each other. That seemed suicidal to me, going out with next to no backup or firepower. I have come to understand him more now than I did when he was here. He said youre a plant arent you. Hugh Thompson Jr. was a twenty-five-year-old helicopter pilot and Army warrants officer. Probably not. Exactly what you saw. Since we were sitting shoulder to shoulder, we saw virtually the very same things. I walked in and told Henderson we saw unnecessary killing of many civilians. Hugh Thompson was determined to stop the massacre. Glenn shouted, Hes firing into the ditch again!, How did Hugh react when reason failed? 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. In this exclusive interview with Vietnam magazine and VietMag.com, Larry Colburn talks about his late friend Hugh Thompson, the My Lai massacre, the subsequent cover up, investigations and trials, his journeys back to Vietnam and meetings with survivors and the Hugh Thompson Foundation, which he formed after Thompsons death in 2006. After the trial, Hugh Thompson received death threats. Thats unlikely to improve anyones mental health, Letters to the Editor: Yes, we need to talk about Bidens age. 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. He also wanted to be able to get out quickly if need be. I had an administrative MOS and was ordered to Hawaii where I was working as a courier. 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. Thompson spent the rest of his life wondering if he could have saved more lives. Hugh Thompson Jr (1943-2006) - EA Forum This is not what Im here for. I testified in the trials of Henderson, Medina and Calley. Hugh Thompson, the helicopter pilot who stopped the My Lai massacre, later told the news program "60 Minutes" that he was ostracized and received death threats upon his return from Vietnam.. 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. ' Thompson recalled. 0 Hugh Thompson and the My Lai Massacre - Truth or Fiction? And although he lived with post-traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism, and nightmare disorder for decades, he eventually became a veterans counselor for the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. The cause was cancer, Jay DeWorth, a spokesman for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center where Mr. Thompson died, told The Associated Press. Then came the backlash. Mr. Thompson remained in combat, then returned to the United States to train helicopter pilots. When we would come back to those we marked, wed find they were now dead. 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. Among those numbers were 17 pregnant women and 56 infants. They approached but because the aircraft was at flight idle they tended to stay back a little. ), 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. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. Thompson and his crew stood in front of the bunker, protecting the civilians. We were told by the prosecuting attorneys to keep our mouths shut, and I didnt advertise the fact I was at My Lai. I was raised with a sense of duty. It was fresh enough that things hadnt changed much. It all crystallized in that moment. Bettmann/Getty ImagesHugh Thompson on his way to testify against William Calley on November 23, 1970. before the subcommittee, and then refused to release the transcripts of the testimony. And when Thomson reported the horrific actions, the Army tried to cover up the M Lai massacre. Hell, I didnt want to believe it, either, but I had no choice because I saw it.. Hugh Thompson - Ballotpedia I was always comfortable as the sidekick and enjoyed the time with Hugh. We thought that was good, that they would be out of the way. Hugh told me to keep my mouth shut and I did. I was hoping there would be justice, but what did it achieve? Did you experience retaliation for what you did that day, or for talking to Henderson? I know its great copy, but Ive tried to correct the record many times: No one pointed any weapons at anybody. Some peoplepublicly stated that they felt Thompson was the only soldier at My Lai who should be punished (for turning his weapons on fellow American troops) and wanted to see him court-martialed for his actions at My Lai. Thats what they want to do. But still, who do you shoot? People need to know who Hugh Thompson was, what he did and why he did it. 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.. Months later you were surprised with a medal for action at My Lai? Thompson had a famous emotional outburst upon returning to base? Billy Waugh, a fabled Special Forces Green Beret and CIA military operative, served in Vietnam and helped hunt for Osama Bin Laden and other terrorists. U.S. ArmyWilliam Calley, the officer who ordered the slaughter at M Lai. Nixon and the My Lai massacre coverup - New York Post 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. Charles Guiteau told a local newspaper that he shot James A. Garfield without malice or murderous intent.. So he called our low gunship, piloted by a friend of his, Dan Millans, and said: Danny, I need a favor. Would I have? Ive tried to put myself in their position, tried to empathize. He showed no reaction at all. Dead animals on your porch, mutilated animals on your porch some mornings when you get up. ", Hugh Thompson, 62, Who Saved Civilians at My Lai, Dies, https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/07/us/hugh-thompson-62-who-saved-civilians-at-my-lai-dies.html. Amid a flurry of corporate earnings releases and somewhat lackluster market activity last week, an important milestone went largely unnoticed. . The My Lai story and Hugh Thompsons role in it is really important, but do you find most people are unaware of it? I have mine put away somewhere, but I think Hugh threw his away one night. He was presumably mindful of the ostracism he had faced and the long wait for that medal ceremony in Washington. You can imagine the emotions that surfaced. 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. They were not running, but just slowly moving out of the village. When you testified in Washington for the Army investigation led by General William Peers, did you feel they were after the real story? I lost faith in the whole military organization and wanted to put it all behind me. Do you think most people realize there was more than just the killing that was going on? My father landed on Normandy Beach and as a kid I watched the television series Victory at Sea and went to bed praying never to have to face the fire like those men on Normandy. At the time, I figured he was 3 or 4 years old, he was tiny. 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. The best therapy I got was in those four hours and seeing the people who were so broken physically. Glenn and I were staring them down and watching to see how it would unfold. 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. I read the citation and thought what? endstream endobj 172 0 obj <. Calley was paroled just three years later, in 1974, after Richard Nixon commuted his sentence. For his interference. 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. Thompson and Colburn returned to Sn M to meet with survivors of the massacre at the Sn M Memorial in 1998. We would have died for them. It was time to stop it, and I figured, at that point, that was the only way the madness, or whatever you want to call it, could be stopped.. When did you start talking to investigators? His final term would have expired in December 2018; he retired in January 2017. On February 8, Congressman Charles Boustany (R-La.) As murderous bloodlust unfolded on the ground below, Thompson and crew confronted fellow GIs to save numerous civilians from the fate of some 500 others that morning. Thompson was more experienced than Lt. Calley, more ethical, more talented, and brighter, and probably recognized Calley didnt know what he was doing. Id never seen nor heard of anything like that before, except in World War II. Thompson risked his life and career and had Lt. Calley shoot him. If we would have had direct contact, we could have told them that these people are unarmed, no threat. 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 . If there was anything that was cleansing for me that was it. Finally, the Army launched an inquiry. Join Facebook to connect with Hugh Thompson and others you may know. 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. Facebook gives people the power to. In harsh times, heroes are ordinary men doing extraordinary things. When did you see those particular villagers again? An Account of the My Lai Courts-Martial - University of Missouri 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. Hugh Thompson and My Lai - CounterPunch.org The pilots were briefed, if the crew was briefed it was by the pilot in the aircraft on the way to the area. I stayed on gunships for rest of my time in Vietnam. 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. He tried to persuade him to stop the attack but with no success. He was first appointed to the court on March 1, 1994, by Governor Zell Miller (D). I was back at Ft. Hugh Thompson Jr. graduated from Stone Mountain High School on June 5, 1961. US military helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson helped stop one of the most infamous massacres of the Vietnam War. Then, in 1998, the Army awarded him the Soldiers Medal for heroism. First He Castrated Himself. William Calley, the officer in charge of Charlie Company, ordered American soldiers to round up the villagers and open fire. Thompson felt obliged to return to military service when the Vietnam War began. Thompson was vilified by many Americans for his testimony against United States Army personnel. But in the end,. I know who I am, Im no hero, I was scared shitless most of the time. PDF Testimony of Dr. Hugh Thompson, HTA Engineering (Expert Witness Acadiana People: Angers writes new chapter in Hugh Thompson story Hugh Clowers Thompson, Jr. (April 15, 1943 - January 6, 2006) was a United States Army helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. If people have some confusion about that, thats their problem. Hugh Thompson, 62, Who Saved Civilians at My Lai, Dies In about 10-15 minutes we were back to the same spot where we saw the villagers on the road leaving. I went back in 2008 for the 40th anniversary. Well, I took the prescriptions, ripped them up into little pieces and walked out. That one person will go on to tell 10 other people. When I first joined the company, the commander took the volunteers to the flight line and showed us bullet holes in the aircraft and asked us if we knew what they were. The only radio communication we had was with the low gunship. I just thank God everybody kept their cool and no one made any quick moves. Thompson left the Army in 1983 and became a private helicopter pilot in the South. 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. 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. For the sake of any kind of lame justice, they should have been put to death for their atrocities. I knew General Peers had gotten in touch with Hugh and took him back over to the scene of the crime. Any hesitation? We started thinking what might have happened, but you didnt want to accept that thought, Thompson said in a 2000 interview, because if you accepted it, that means your own fellow Americans, people you were there to protect, were doing something very evil.. 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. Out of the blue, our unit was called out onto the tarmac for an awards and decoration ceremony. Was this part of the cover up? 187 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<24715D214BB8264D9C081C2824AD5AA6><5B5B6AB10B516B4B92CEE481B23C2455>]/Index[171 29]/Info 170 0 R/Length 83/Prev 54619/Root 172 0 R/Size 200/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream Genevieve Carlton earned a Ph.D in history from Northwestern University with a focus on early modern Europe and the history of science and medicine before becoming a history professor at the University of Louisville. Did the boy have a recollection of March 16, 1968? It was in their hands. I think it is deception, and that remains constant today. Well, it wasnt really an apology, was it? While the massacre took place, helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson and his crew flew over the jungle, offering air support. Mercy Thompson, Testimony, Church of Christ in Missouri v. Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 70 F. 179 (8th Cir. Hugh Thompson Jr. - Wikiwand The squad leader ordered Thompson and his men to get out of the way. He didnt have much support for decades. By this time, Lt. William Calleys Charlie Company was reaching My Lai? He said: They are coming this way. I wish we could have done more to thank him. When the revelations about My Lai surfaced, he testified before Congress, a military inquiry and the court-martial of Lt. William L. Calley Jr., the platoon leader at My Lai, who was the only soldier to be convicted in the massacre. Back at their base he filed a complaint about the killing of civilians that he had witnessed. Hugh Clowers Thompson Jr. was born on April 15, 1943, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, to Wessie and Hugh Clowers Thompson. These were infants, two-, three-, four-, five-year-olds, women, very old men, no draft-age people whatsoever.. Did you know when the story was about to break? He teaches the U.S. history survey since 1877 and specialized courses on Vietnam, 1960s America, and U.S. foreign relations. They tried to make arrangements to get him there, but couldnt find him. He retired as a VA counselor in Louisiana. That same day, the cover up started. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. . No. So you were encouraged at that point? 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. In mid-March 2022, posts about a warrant officer named Hugh Thompson and his role in the My Lai massacre circulated on social media, including a tweet describing that time period as the 50-year anniversary of that incident:. We also want to carry on Hughs passionate advocacy for all veterans, not just Vietnam vets. When Hugh asked me to come with him and report what had happened, he said: Just tell the truth. You are the ones that deserve to be called American Soldiers. 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. Jon Wiener is professor emeritus of history at UC Irvine, and working, with Mike Davis, on a book on Los Angeles in the 1960s. Does it worry you that it was, and remains, in our capacity to excuse or rationalize an atrocity like My Lai committed by Americans? The Army covered it up, but the facts eventually came to light and the responsible officer, Capt. That is what other people say. From the air, Thompson and his two-person crew quickly realized American soldiers were slaughtering innocent civilians. Wed talk a lot and if I was stressing I could always pick up the phone and Hugh could always talk me down. When I arrived at My Lai in 2008, no one knew where he was. "I threatened never to fly again. We surveyed around the bunker and saw that squad approaching. You know, you think everybody feels you and you can ignore your own symptoms. In unison, all three of us shouted, You son of a bitch! That was Captain Ernest Medina. They also reported the massacre to higher officers, who ordered the troops on the ground to stop. Now we saw them again, but they were all lying on the road, dead or dying. This is not how this military organization is supposed to conduct operations. You started out on an OH-23 scout helicopter? He walked about 50 meters and encountered the lieutenant who was leading the squad. It was a dime short and day late for Hugh, 30 years after the factafter causing him griefthen theyre going to call him a hero? He made some notes on a legal pad and excused me and I left. Trent Angers, Thompsons biographer and friend, analyzed the list and found about 50 there who were 3 years old or younger.
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