Hugh Thompson was flying over the operation at Son My on March 16 when he saw strange things happening and eventually intervened to try and stop them. The following quote describes one of several attempts made by Thopmson to intervene that day:
"I saw this bunker and...there was a bunch of kids in the bunker and the Americans were approaching it....I set down...got out of the aircraft and talked with this lieutenant, and told him that there was some women and kids in that bunker over there, and could he get them out. He said the only way to get them out was with a hand grenade. I told him to hold your men right there and I'll get the kids out. And I just walked over to the bunker, motioned for them to come out, and they came out....I called Mr. Millians....And he came in and picked up half of them." -Hugh Thompson, describing an encounter with a lieutenant he would later identify as Lieutenant Calley [8] |