Hugh Clowers Thompson Jr. in the year 1966.
Hugh Clowers Thompson Jr. was an American (April 15, 1943 - January 6, 2006) was an United States Army officer serving as a warrant officer for the 123rd Aviation Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Division. Hugh is along with along with Glenn Andreotta and Lawrence "Larry" Colburn most known for their role in ending the My Lai Massacre on March 16, 1968. Thirty years latter in 1998 Hugh, Lawrence, and Glen where awarded the Soldier's Medal- the highest honor granted by the United States Army for bravery not involving direct contact with the enemy- with Glenn's being posthumously so. That same year Hugh and Lawrence traveled to the Son My Memorial to meet with survivors of the massacre. He would die of cancer in the year 2006 at the age of sixty-two.
Biography[]
Hugh Clowers Thompson Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia; USA on April 15, 1943.
My Lai Intervention[]
On March 16, 1968 Hugh, Lawrence, and Glenn as crew of a Hiller OH-23 Raven where as part of the 123rd Aviation Battalion radioed in to provide support to an offense in Son My that was aimed at rooting out the 48th Vietcong Battalion. During this operation his crew spotted two Vietnamese villages running, landing the chopper he managed to capture them for questioning and while on the ground noticed a number of injured. He set off a smoke single indicating their location for pick up, Initially they thought the dead and injured where the result of shelling from the day prior. After refueling and returning to the scene he, Glenn, and Lawrence from their helicopter saw that the people they had left to be picked up where now dead. What was going on hadn't been realized, the crew saw a woman- injured in the chest- and marked her like the rest. A company was nearby that could pick her up but rather than leave the chopper crew stayed- hovering nearby, not wanting her to end up like the others. Captain Medina and his men arrived, and from the chopper the crew watched as Medina kicked the woman, and killed her. It was in this moment the crew finally realized that it was their own people doing the killing and the crew's efforts to save lives where playing a part in that killing.
Landing their chopper near a ditch where several bodies where being filled in Hugh (as a Warrant Officer) demanded to be told what was going on by 2nd Lt. William Kelly. Hugh was told not to interfere and returned to his chopper which took to the air, from that position he saw a number of civilians being chased by American soldiers as they fled towards a homemade bomb shelter. Hugh landed the chopper between the soldiers and the civilians. Getting out he instructed Glenn and Lawrence to open fire if the soldiers fire upon him or the civilians as he stepped out to confront the commanding officer. Hugh managed to get the men to back down. He then went to the shelter and managed to convince the civilians there to come out as he called in Chinooks to evacuate them. He then went into the ditches looking to see if anyone survived and found a young child he brought back to the civilians. After the Chinooks arrived and departed with them Hugh and his crew left to report what had happened.
The information reached the brigade commander, Lieutenant Colonel Barker, who began investigating what was happening in My Lai, causing Captain Medina to order a ceasefire. Thompson's report led the 23rd Infantry Division to cancel Force Barker's planned operations in other villages in the area, possibly saving them from destruction.
Testimony[]
Latter Life[]
Family[]
- Wife: Palma Baughman (Married 1963)