Standing Tall: A Helicopter Pilot Stops a Massacre

This installment of ‘When Courage Counted’ features Hugh Thompson and his heroic crewmates who helped end the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War. 

Thompson likely flew a helicopter similar to this Hiller OH-23 Raven during his Vietnam missions. Public Domain

On March 16, 1968, American soldiers brought hell on earth to Vietnam’s Son My, a cluster of villages including My Lai, My Khe, Co Luy, and Tu Cung. Under the command of Capt. Ernest Medina, Charlie Company went on a spree of murder, rape, and arson that resulted in 300 to 500 Vietnamese deaths. Men, women, and children were slaughtered individually or in groups for their supposed support of North Vietnamese troops.

The military initially covered up the massacre, first claiming that the soldiers had fought the enemy. They they quietly launched an investigation. On Nov. 12, 1969, journalist Seymour Hersch broke the story of these atrocities, shocking American voters and fueling the antiwar movement. With this news, the shame of what came to be called the My Lai pronounced Mee Lie) Massacre became a black stain on American history.