![]() Army’s internal investigators of the My Lai massacre was Major Colin Powell, who later became Secretary of State under President George W. Army began an internal investigation of the incident. Knowing news of the massacre would cause a scandal, officers higher up in command of Charlie Company and the 11th Brigade immediately made efforts to downplay the bloodshed. Among the victims were 182 women-17 of them pregnant-and 173 children, including 56 infants. Investigation of My Laiīy the time the My Lai massacre ended, 504 people were dead. Army’s highest award for bravery not involving direct contact with the enemy. In 1998, Thompson and two other members of his crew received the Soldier’s Medal, the U.S. Thompson and his crew flew dozens of survivors to receive medical care. These were infants, two- three-, four-, five-year-olds, women, very old men, no draft-age people whatsoever,” Thompson stated at a My Lai conference at Tulane University in 1994. ![]() “We kept flying back and forth … and it didn’t take very long until we started noticing the large number of bodies everywhere. The My Lai massacre reportedly ended only after Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson, an Army helicopter pilot on a reconnaissance mission, landed his aircraft between the soldiers and the retreating villagers and threatened to open fire if they continued their attacks. Not a single shot was fired against the men of Charlie Company at My Lai. In addition to killing unarmed men, women and children, the soldiers slaughtered countless livestock, raped an unknown number of women, and burned the village to the ground.Ĭalley was reported to have dragged dozens of people, including young children, into a ditch before executing them with a machine gun. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember seeing one military-age male in the entire place, dead or alive,” Bernhardt said. It was just like any other Vietnamese village-old papa-sans, women and kids. “We met no resistance and I only saw three captured weapons. Michael Bernhardt, a soldier at the scene, later told a reporter. They were shooting women and children just like anybody else,” Sgt. But it was mostly done with a machine gun. “I saw them shoot an M79 (grenade launcher) into a group of people who were still alive. Huts were set on fire, and anyone inside who tried to escape was gunned down. Mothers who were shielding their children were shot, and when their children tried to run away, they too were slaughtered. Some soldiers balked at Calley’s command, but within seconds the massacre had begun, with Calley himself shooting numerous men, women and children. Despite finding only a few weapons, Calley ordered his men to begin shooting the villagers. The villagers were rounded up into groups as the soldiers inspected their huts. Instead, they came across a quiet village of primarily women, children and older men preparing their breakfast rice. When they arrived shortly after dawn, the soldiers-led by Lieutenant William Calley-found no Viet Cong. William CalleyĪrmy commanders had advised the soldiers of Charlie Company that all who were found in the Son My area could be considered VC or active VC sympathizers, and ordered them to destroy the village. ![]() Charlie Company had lost some 28 of its members to death or injuries, and was down to just over 100 men. soldiers on the ground was dwindling, especially in the wake of the North Vietnamese-led Tet Offensive, which was launched in January 1968. Charlie Company was sent to the area on March 16 for a search-and-destroy mission.Īt the time, morale among U.S. In March 1968, Charlie Company-part of the Americal Division’s 11th Infantry Brigade-received word that VC guerrillas had taken control of the neighboring village of Son My.
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