More detail on this person: He is the OH-23 pilot who put his ship, crew and himself between the
U.S. troops and the Vietnamese civilians at My Lai the troops were firing on. It was just a few
years ago that he was awarded a belated Soldier's Medal for his actions.
From J. C. Pennington
Article published Jan 7, 2006 in http://www.theadvertiser.com
Family, comrades honor Thompson
Man who stopped My Lai massacre dies at 62
By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvertiser.com
As word spread of the death of Hugh Thompson, Vietnam veterans and others who knew him reflected
on his service to his country and his integrity.
Thompson died Friday at age 62 after being diagnosed with cancer. He was known as a hero for his
role in stopping the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War in 1968, when he helped innocent
Vietnamese civilians escape the attacks of his fellow American soldiers. The former Army helicopter
pilot was awarded the Soldier's Medal in 1998 for his actions.
Jim Brazee, a Lafayette attorney who also served in Vietnam, said Thompson personified bravery.
"He took his own life in his hands to save those people. I think he deserves everyone's admiration,"
Brazee said.
An Atlanta native who later made his home in Lafayette, Thompson joined the U.S. Navy in 1961 and
then the U.S. Army in 1966. He trained as a helicopter pilot. In 1968, he volunteered for duty that
involved flying over Vietnamese forests to draw enemy fire and pinpoint the location of enemy
troops.
On March 16, 1968, he was flying on such a mission when he came across bodies of Vietnamese
civilians outside My Lai. When he recognized that American troops were apparently shooting
civilians, Thompson landed his OH-23 helicopter between the troops and civilians and confronted the
American lieutenant in charge.
When the lieutenant refused to listen to him, Thompson had his crew members - crew chief Glenn
Andreotta and door gunner Lawrence Colburn - cover him with the helicopter weapons and called in
more helicopters to carry out 11 wounded Vietnamese. The crew members also received the Soldier's
Medal.
Brazee said that although Thompson's actions brought him accolades and attention later in life,
Thompson never sought the limelight.
"The attention just kind of came to him. He never sought it out," Brazee said. "People became
curious about him, but he was not a publicity seeker."
Trent Angers, the author of The Forgotten Hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson Story and a close friend
of Thompson's, said the pilot stuck to his convictions, even as some of his fellow soldiers were
committing dishonorable acts.
"Hugh Thompson is a symbol of the American soldier who fought with honor in Vietnam," Angers said.
"He did what he did as a matter of conscience and conviction. He took to heart the basic
Judeo-Christian principles of how you should act toward your neighbors."
Thompson testified at the court martial hearings that resulted in the court martial of Lt. William
Calley for the massacre of about 500 civilians at My Lai.
According to chief My Lai prosecutor William Eckhardt, "Thompson put his guns on Americans, said he
would shoot them if they shot another Vietnamese, had his people wade in (a) ditch in gore to their
knees ... took out children, took them to the hospital .... flew back to headquarters (and) standing
in front of people, tears rolling down his cheeks, pounded on the table saying, 'Notice, notice,
notice' ... then had the courage to testify time after time after time."
In 1998, Thompson and Colburn returned to My Lai, where they met some of the villagers they had
saved, including a young girl whom they'd pulled from a mass of bodies.
Sulie Bourque, one of Thompson's good friends, said the veteran possessed character, integrity and
morals that were above many others. After his war service, Bourque said Thompson also spent time in
Washington, trying to help fellow veterans receive appropriate benefits.
"I'm at a loss of words to describe the kind of courage that he had," Bourque said. "He was
different. He's going to be very much missed. What a man."
Thompson's wife, Mona Gossen, his three sons, former crew member Colburn and friend Rod Touchet
were at his bedside at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Alexandria when he died.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be handled by Delhomme Funeral Home in Lafayette.
(Jim Bradshaw contributed to this report.)
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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