Military Law
Sep. 14, 2026
My Lai at 58: Enduring lessons for command, training and military justicev
The My Lai Massacre shows how failures in command, training and accountability can lead to atrocity--and why clear legal standards and moral courage remain essential to preventing them.
For heroism above and beyond the call of duty on 16 March 1968, while saving the lives of at least 10 Vietnamese civilians during the unlawful massacre of noncombatants by American forces at My Lai, Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam. Warrant Officer Thompson landed his helicopter in the line of fire between fleeing Vietnamese civilians and pursuing American ground troops to prevent their murder. He then personally confronted the leader of the American ground troops and was prepared to...
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