Hugh Thompson, forgotten heor of My Lai dead today at 62.

January 6, 2006 6:31 PM

Hugh Thompson, one of the forgotten heroes of My Lai, died today at the age of 62. The names of helicopter pilot Thompson, his crewmates Larry Colburn and Glenn Andreotta, along with Ron Ridenour, who was responsible for breaking the sotry of the massacre, are alone covered in glory rather than infamy for their parts in My Lai. Here is Ridenour's orignal letter that led to the investigation of the massacre at My Lai. Here is an article which reltaes the story of how David Egan, a Clemson University professor who had served in a French village where Nazis killed scores of innocents in World War II, campaigned for Thompson to receive the Soldier's Medal from the Army. Thompson accepted the medal on the condition it be awarded as well to his crewmates Colburn and the late Andreotta, who died in combat a month after the massacre, in a public ceremony. The US military has now incorporated accounts of Thompson's integrity, grace under fire and courageous deeds into cadet ethics courses at the US Air Force Academy.
posted by y2karl (1 comment total)

Ah,. well, mine is a double post then.
posted by y2karl at 6:33 PM on January 6, 2006