This is the second in a series of profiles I'm doing on unsung American heroes.
Hugh Thompson Jr. is not your typical American war hero. He didn't duel with the Red Baron, march up Iwo Jima, or lead troops across the Delaware river. He wasn't a glory hound like more well known war heroes (I'm looking at you Halsey and Macarthur) whose actual accomplishments are heavily inflated. In fact, the actions Hugh Thompson took would not be fully recognized until exactly thirty years later. But he is one of the greatest American war heroes ever because he took one of the most courageous and daring actions ever that saved many lives.
Chief Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson was a chopper pilot during the Vietnam conflict. On March 16, 1968 Thompson and his crew encountered a horrifying situation in the village of My Lai. They saw dead civilians lying all around the village and American GIs shooting young children at point blank range. He immediately reported this to headquarters, but nothing was done.
These killings were the work of three platoons under the command of Captain Ernest Medina. As part of revenge for the previous night's murder of one of their beloved Seargents, Medina ordered the vilage of My Lai to be destroyed. What ended up happening is that civilians were pulled out of their homes and murdered. Some were murdered while kneeling around a temple praying. A man was thrown down a well and a grenade was thrown in after him.
After Thompson's reports to headquarters went unanswered, he continued to survey the situation and saw many civilians (including women and children) lying in a drainage ditch being shot by members of Lt. William Calley's platoon, including Calley himself. Calley was also seen grabbing a two year old who was running away the scene, throwing him down and shooting him. Thompson had enough at this point and decided to do something to stop this massacre.
Thompson landed his helicopter in between the American soldiers and the remaining surviving villagers. He asked one of Calley's men to help him get the civilians out of the bunker and Calley's response was that he planned to get them out with a hand grenade. Thompson told Calley to stay there because he could do better than that. Thompson ordered a gunship to land and rescue the remaining civilians while he and his crew kept watch on the American soldiers. Later on, they landed again and rescued a baby that was still clinging to its dead mother.
The military covered up the matter, but eventually Thompson's letters to members of Congress led to an investigation. Lt. William Calley was convicted in a court martial hearing and sentenced to life in prison. He would only serve three and a half years after President Nixon reduced his sentence. Despite this disgusting act by Nixon, the news of My Lai was still a significant turning point in public disapproval for the war.
I felt it especially necessary to honor Hugh Thompson on Independence day. While he wasn't the famous leader of a battle, he represented the true idea of what it means to be an American. Lt. Calley and those participating in the massacre were putting a black mark on the name of our country and people who do that must be stopped. Hugh Thompson put his life and career on the line to rescue as many civilians as possible and report those who were responsible. In doing so, he became one of the greatest men to ever wear a mlitary uniform for the United States.
