Background
Months before the massacre the soldiers of Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 11th Brigade, 23rd Infantry division had lost 28 men not because of actual gunfights, but because of booby traps set by the National Liberation Front, or more commonly referred to as the Viet Cong. In February of 1968 the U.S had started search and destroy missions to try and regain land in South Vietnam, and by March 15 of 1968 Charlie Company received "intel" from Captain Ernest Medina that the rest of the nearby Viet Cong was held up in Son My Village, the village My Lai is apart of.
Massacre
On March 16, 1968 about 100 soldiers in Charlie Company set out for My Lai. Upon reaching the village they found around 700 people, including women and children, all of which were preparing for market day or eating. Second Lieutenant William Calley ordered open fire on the village. For the next 3 hours Charlie Company had killed 504 men, women, and children. They also raped women and mutilated bodies, and ordered the villagers to line up in ditches while executing them. Second Lieutenant William Calley has been quoted after the massacre was known to the public and said, “The only crime that I have committed is in judgement of my values. Apparently I valued my troops’ lives more than I did that of the enemy.” The only American injured during the 3 hour massacre was a soldier that shot himself in the foot while cleaning his pistol.
Above are pictures from the massacre.
Help arrives
Captain Hugh Thompson Jr, a helicopter pilot, and his crew, Glen Andreotta and Lawrence Colburn, were flying for a reconnaissance mission when they spotted injured and dead villagers in and around the village. Thompson first landed in between a ditch and 2LT Calley and then the following dialogue took place,
Thompson: What's going on here, Lieutenant?
Calley: This is my business.
Thompson: What is this? Who are these people?
Calley: Just following orders.
Thompson: Orders? Whose orders?
Calley: Just following...
Thompson: But, these are human beings, unarmed civilians, sir.
Calley: Look Thompson, this is my show. I'm in charge here. It ain't your concern.
Thompson: Yeah, great job.
Calley: You better get back in that chopper and mind your own business.
Thompson: You ain't heard the last of this!
After this conversation another soldier from Charlie company shot into the ditch and killed the surviving villagers, and Thompson took off and landed at another location with a bunker filled with villagers. He then told Colburn and Andreotta to fire at any American soldiers that open fire on the villagers coming from the bunker. Shortly after, Captain Medina ordered a cease fire, and reported the killing of 128 Viet Cong, receiving congratulations from General William Westmoreland, the commanding officer in the whole operation.
Thompson: What's going on here, Lieutenant?
Calley: This is my business.
Thompson: What is this? Who are these people?
Calley: Just following orders.
Thompson: Orders? Whose orders?
Calley: Just following...
Thompson: But, these are human beings, unarmed civilians, sir.
Calley: Look Thompson, this is my show. I'm in charge here. It ain't your concern.
Thompson: Yeah, great job.
Calley: You better get back in that chopper and mind your own business.
Thompson: You ain't heard the last of this!
After this conversation another soldier from Charlie company shot into the ditch and killed the surviving villagers, and Thompson took off and landed at another location with a bunker filled with villagers. He then told Colburn and Andreotta to fire at any American soldiers that open fire on the villagers coming from the bunker. Shortly after, Captain Medina ordered a cease fire, and reported the killing of 128 Viet Cong, receiving congratulations from General William Westmoreland, the commanding officer in the whole operation.
Pictured above from left to right are Hugh Thompson, Lawrence Colburn, and Glenn Andreotta
Cover Up
Due to the reports of 128 Viet Cong killed, U.S magazines and newspapers all over the country were celebrating with the soldiers believing they had done well. It wasn't until several months later that Ronald, Ridenhour sent letters in 1969 to congress members hoping they would look into the actual events of My Lai.