Hugh Thompson Jr.
Source: Wikipedia: Hugh Thompson Jr.
Humanitarian & Peace • Historical Archive • 🇺🇸 United States • 1 views

Hugh Thompson Jr. 🇺🇸

Hugh Clowers Thompson Jr.
["Helicopter Pilot", "Soldier's Medal Recipient", "Moral Hero"]
Born Apr 15, 1943 🇺🇸 Atlanta, United States
Passed Away Jan 06, 2006 Alexandria, United States
Lifespan 62 years old
1 views
Notice / Correction
"There was no way I could point people to the ditch to be killed. I had to do something."

Archival Overview

United States Army helicopter pilot who landed his aircraft between American soldiers and Vietnamese civilians during the My Lai Massacre, halting the slaughter.

Biographical Record

Hugh Thompson Jr. was a warrant officer and scout helicopter pilot in the US Army during the Vietnam War. On March 16, 1968, flying over the village of My Lai, Thompson and his crew (Glenn Andreotta and Lawrence Colburn) witnessed US infantrymen methodically shooting unarmed women, children, and elderly villagers.

Appalled, Thompson landed his OH-23 helicopter directly between advancing US soldiers and fleeing Vietnamese civilians, ordering his crew to train their machine guns on their fellow soldiers if they fired upon the villagers. He evacuated survivors and reported the massacre, confronting thirty years of military ostracism before being awarded the Soldier's Medal.

Key Life Milestones

Intervention at My Lai

Halting the Massacre

Landed his helicopter under fire to protect Vietnamese civilians and evacuated children to safety.

Soldier's Medal

Belated Recognition

Awarded the Soldier's Medal for heroism, thirty years after risking his life to stop war crimes.

Memorial Guestbook & Tributes

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial
Lafayette Cemetery
Lafayette, United States
GPS: 30.2241, -92.0198
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