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unusual facts about Hugh Thompson, Jr.


Lawrence Colburn

Serving as a door-gunner on an OH-23 Raven observation helicopter, his crew chief was Specialist Four Glenn Andreotta and his pilot was Warrant Officer One Hugh Thompson, Jr..


Glenn Andreotta

Andreotta was posthumously granted the Soldier's Medal in 1998 for his bravery in stopping the My Lai Massacre, along with Lawrence Colburn and Hugh Thompson, Jr..

Serving as a crew chief aboard an OH-23 Raven observation helicopter, his pilot was Warrant Officer One Hugh Thompson, Jr. and his door-gunner was Specialist Four Lawrence Colburn, both of whom would also be acclaimed for their heroism at My Lai.

Hugh Thompson, Jr.

Additionally on March 10, 1998, Senator Max Cleland (D-Ga.) entered a tribute to Thompson, Colburn and Andreotta into the record of the U.S. Senate.

There, he was sharply criticized by Congressmen, in particular Chairman Mendel Rivers (D-S.C.), who were anxious to play down allegations of a massacre by American troops.

Folk singer David Rovics wrote a song about the incident at My Lai called Song for Hugh Thompson.

Although initially ill-treated in some quarters for their intervention, Thompson and his crew, Glenn Andreotta and Lawrence Colburn, were recognized and decorated many years later for their heroism at My Lai.

Soldier's Medal

In 1998, three soldiers, Hugh Thompson, Jr., Lawrence Colburn and Glenn Andreotta were awarded the Soldier's Medal for their intervention in the My Lai Massacre (1968) which included threatening to fire on their own comrades if they didn't stop the killings.


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