Defeating The British/American Gestapo Regime, Lessons From History, Part I
Stopping the Regime’s Killing & Chaos, The Amazing Hugh Thompson Vietnam Story
by the Anonymous Physicist
Hugh C. Thompson, Jr. was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot during the American War on Vietnam. Few people know of his crucial role in stopping the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam on March 16, 1968. Many people do know, however, about the massacre itself. The Vietnamese state the number of Vietnamese, mostly women, children and old men massacred at My Lai, that day, was 504. The U.S. Govt either states that the number is significantly less, or is unknowable. Thompson himself says the number is higher, because he says that the area was first shelled, and many died from this. Thompson also relates that many of these American troops tortured, mutilated and raped these helpless, innocent human beings, before killing them. Thompson has said that even though some of the few surviving Vietnamese have forgiven the Americans, he himself never could! He died two years ago of cancer. Some in-country vets have said that there was a My Lai virtually every day in Vietnam; but few such massacres ever saw the light of day, in the American media. Thompson’s equally courageous crew that fateful day were Lawrence Colburn, door gunner, and Glenn Andreotta, navigator.
In March 1968, Thompson and his chopper crew were flying reconnaissance missions. And this book (read here) details what happened on March 16, and the aftermath three decades later. A censored version, IMO, of the story is also available on Wiki. Briefly, Thompson, from his chopper, saw many dead Vietnamese bodies when he first arrived. He then saw American ground troops repeatedly massacre defenseless men, women and children. When he first landed and asked the commander in charge to stop, he saw that as soon as he took off again, the cowering women and children were massacred. He then saw another group, of women and children, about to be massacred again, and landed his chopper between them and the soldiers. He ordered his door gunner to point his machine gun at the American soldiers, and to fire if the Americans advanced on the helpless Vietnamese. They thus saved some of the Vietnamese people, as Thompson got two larger American choppers to land and take the survivors away, while Thompson’s helicopter took a little boy to safety. He also radioed in the massacre to higher ups, in such a way that his communiqué would immediately be known to many. An earlier communiqué was apparently ignored. Once the secrecy was blown, the higher-ups radioed to the ground troops to halt the extermination. Dozens or more of these remaining living Vietnamese people were thus saved. Thompson has indicated that he believes the entire massacre was ordered by higher ups in the American command. And that they have gotten off scot-free.
During the massacre, Thompson saw the ground commander Captain Ernest Medina (later court-martialed, defended by F. Lee Bailey, and acquitted), run after and murder a defenseless, already shot, young girl. This happened after Thompson had dropped a medical alert flare near her-- which is a request for medical assistance! He later landed and interacted with Lt. William Calley (later court martialed and convicted-- see below), who told him to leave, as he, Calley, was “just following orders.” Calley later said that Capt. Medina ordered all this.
Thompson later indicated there was an American soldier there, far more heroic than him! “The only American casualty on that day was a black soldier, Herbert Carter, who could not stand such mad killing. He shot himself in the foot so that he could not have to take part in the massacre. Herbert later related, “”I saw an old man standing in the middle of the rice field waving at us in a friendly manner, but they shot him. I saw no Viet Cong in the village, only poor farmers running away from their burning huts, and then they shot them dead.”” As far as I can find, this remarkable man who preferred to shoot himself, rather than murder innocent women, children, and old men, never received an award from anyone. But what if all the “order-following” American armed forces and intel agents suddenly got a conscience, and refused to follow orders; and brought the regime’s killing, torture, and evil to a halt, with similar actions?
The aftermath of My Lai is very telling. “Thompson refused to take a Flying Cross medal because he thought that the U.S. Army wanted to buy his silence.” The My Lai incident was first covered up by the military. Wiki says, “The first reports claimed that "128 Vietcong and 22 civilians" were killed in the village during a "fierce fire fight". General William C. Westmoreland, congratulated the unit on the "outstanding job". As related at the time by the Army's “Stars and Stripes” magazine, "U.S. infantrymen had killed 128 Communists in a bloody day-long battle." All lies, of course, from the American regime, as unbiased sources indicate that 504 civilians were massacred that day by the American troops. The My Lai Massacre was covered-up for six months, until Seymour Hersh wrote about it.
Also in the cover-up, Gunner Lawrence Colburn was awarded the Bronze Star. Even Wiki says that “An account of the action was fabricated for the document accompanying the decoration, and Thompson's signature was forged on the eyewitness report.” Those who have read all my articles have seen how common such forgery by the Regime is. It occurred many times with the Warren Commission, and I have cited how radiation badges were doctored regarding American soldiers’ exposure to radiation during atomic tests.
Now it is little known, but upon arriving back in Georgia (to face charges) Lt. William Calley was given a parade by no less than the supposed “liberal” Governor, and future President, one Jimmy Carter [Ref.: The book cited above.] Calley was court-martialed, and a military jury convicted Calley, on March 29, 1971, of premeditated murder of 22 civilians. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, at hard labor. President Nixon ordered him transferred from prison to house arrest at Fort Benning, Georgia, pending appeal. On August 20, 1971, the convening authority--the Commanding General of Fort Benning-- reduced his sentence to 20 years. The Secretary of the Army reviewed the sentence and findings and approved both, but in a separate clemency action commuted confinement to ten years. Calley petitioned the federal district court for habeas corpus on February 11, 1974, which was granted on September 25, 1974, along with his immediate release, by federal judge J. Robert Elliott. Ultimately, Calley served only three and a half years of house arrest in his quarters at Fort Benning.
The lead My Lai Massacre investigator, General Peers, had 26 officers and soldiers initially charged for their participation in the My Lai Massacre, or the subsequent cover-up. Only Calley was convicted.
The My Lai massacre caused at least one American soldier (Marine) to go AWOL, and avoid going to Vietnam and partaking in the senseless killing. (It also caused an increase in Conscientious Objector applications.) Ernest McQueen (aka Ernest Johnson Jr.) went AWOL in 1969 after learning about My Lai. McQueen was in hiding for 36 years, in the U.S. until, in 2006, a family member of his alerted the military, who then had police arrest him. After being held in jail for about two weeks, and after this was widely reported, the military decided not to press charges, and gave McQueen an “other than honorable discharge.”
Thompson was brought back to Washington, D.C., and had to testify before Congress. Several Congressmen wanted him court-martialed for ordering his gunner to point his machine gun at American troops. Nixon also considered this, but decided against it. Nonetheless Thompson, for years, feared this, and suffered much abuse and death threats. He did not receive any awards for many years. It was only after a Norwegian Air Force Major, Terje Lund (also an attorney, who writes that indifference must be countered in the field) began teaching about Thompson in his military ethics course, and publicized this, that changing opinion and renewed publicity about Thompson led to the Pentagon finally giving him an award. “Thirty years after the massacre, Thompson, Andreotta, and Colburn were awarded the Soldier's Medal (Andreotta posthumously), the Army's highest award for bravery not involving direct contact with the enemy. "It was the ability to do the right thing even at the risk of their personal safety that guided these soldiers to do what they did," then-Major General Michael Ackerman said at the 1998 ceremony.” Then for several years, Thompson was invited to speak about military ethics at military academies. All these lectures were apparently “lost,” as we have seen the actions of American troops, CIA “interrogators”, etc. in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo, and “special rendition” planes, ships, and overseas jails.
Lesson #1. The British/American Gestapo Regime’s killing and mayhem may only be halted when its servicemen and women point their weapons at their fellow killers, and fire if necessary. Remember that Thompson had ordered his gunner to actually fire his machine gun on the massacring American troops, if they did not stop their killing, of defenseless innocents. If we only had more of these incidents, the British-American regime wouldn’t be able to conduct its wars, and mass murders, and tortures, of innocent human beings. People have to learn that it is preferable to shoot themselves, or those who order the killing of innocents, or of War itself, rather than harm or kill innocent human beings. Likewise American agents and soldiers who “follow orders” and torture captives--many of whom are either completely innocent or who actually have knowledge of American guilt for what they have been imprisoned for--need to be stopped by other soldiers or agents who witness such torture, by means similar to that employed by Thompson and his crew.
Lesson #2. All of us can play a role in educating everyone we know who is part of the British American military, or “Homeland Security” forces. We must help them to acquire a mind of their own, and especially a conscience. Then we must help them to overcome their cowardice, and ACT, and do the right thing, regardless of consequences to themselves.
This tale of great courage by Hugh Thompson Jr., Lawrence Colburn, Glenn Andreotta, and Hebert Carter must be promulgated far and wide.
by the Anonymous Physicist
Hugh C. Thompson, Jr. was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot during the American War on Vietnam. Few people know of his crucial role in stopping the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam on March 16, 1968. Many people do know, however, about the massacre itself. The Vietnamese state the number of Vietnamese, mostly women, children and old men massacred at My Lai, that day, was 504. The U.S. Govt either states that the number is significantly less, or is unknowable. Thompson himself says the number is higher, because he says that the area was first shelled, and many died from this. Thompson also relates that many of these American troops tortured, mutilated and raped these helpless, innocent human beings, before killing them. Thompson has said that even though some of the few surviving Vietnamese have forgiven the Americans, he himself never could! He died two years ago of cancer. Some in-country vets have said that there was a My Lai virtually every day in Vietnam; but few such massacres ever saw the light of day, in the American media. Thompson’s equally courageous crew that fateful day were Lawrence Colburn, door gunner, and Glenn Andreotta, navigator.
In March 1968, Thompson and his chopper crew were flying reconnaissance missions. And this book (read here) details what happened on March 16, and the aftermath three decades later. A censored version, IMO, of the story is also available on Wiki. Briefly, Thompson, from his chopper, saw many dead Vietnamese bodies when he first arrived. He then saw American ground troops repeatedly massacre defenseless men, women and children. When he first landed and asked the commander in charge to stop, he saw that as soon as he took off again, the cowering women and children were massacred. He then saw another group, of women and children, about to be massacred again, and landed his chopper between them and the soldiers. He ordered his door gunner to point his machine gun at the American soldiers, and to fire if the Americans advanced on the helpless Vietnamese. They thus saved some of the Vietnamese people, as Thompson got two larger American choppers to land and take the survivors away, while Thompson’s helicopter took a little boy to safety. He also radioed in the massacre to higher ups, in such a way that his communiqué would immediately be known to many. An earlier communiqué was apparently ignored. Once the secrecy was blown, the higher-ups radioed to the ground troops to halt the extermination. Dozens or more of these remaining living Vietnamese people were thus saved. Thompson has indicated that he believes the entire massacre was ordered by higher ups in the American command. And that they have gotten off scot-free.
During the massacre, Thompson saw the ground commander Captain Ernest Medina (later court-martialed, defended by F. Lee Bailey, and acquitted), run after and murder a defenseless, already shot, young girl. This happened after Thompson had dropped a medical alert flare near her-- which is a request for medical assistance! He later landed and interacted with Lt. William Calley (later court martialed and convicted-- see below), who told him to leave, as he, Calley, was “just following orders.” Calley later said that Capt. Medina ordered all this.
Thompson later indicated there was an American soldier there, far more heroic than him! “The only American casualty on that day was a black soldier, Herbert Carter, who could not stand such mad killing. He shot himself in the foot so that he could not have to take part in the massacre. Herbert later related, “”I saw an old man standing in the middle of the rice field waving at us in a friendly manner, but they shot him. I saw no Viet Cong in the village, only poor farmers running away from their burning huts, and then they shot them dead.”” As far as I can find, this remarkable man who preferred to shoot himself, rather than murder innocent women, children, and old men, never received an award from anyone. But what if all the “order-following” American armed forces and intel agents suddenly got a conscience, and refused to follow orders; and brought the regime’s killing, torture, and evil to a halt, with similar actions?
The aftermath of My Lai is very telling. “Thompson refused to take a Flying Cross medal because he thought that the U.S. Army wanted to buy his silence.” The My Lai incident was first covered up by the military. Wiki says, “The first reports claimed that "128 Vietcong and 22 civilians" were killed in the village during a "fierce fire fight". General William C. Westmoreland, congratulated the unit on the "outstanding job". As related at the time by the Army's “Stars and Stripes” magazine, "U.S. infantrymen had killed 128 Communists in a bloody day-long battle." All lies, of course, from the American regime, as unbiased sources indicate that 504 civilians were massacred that day by the American troops. The My Lai Massacre was covered-up for six months, until Seymour Hersh wrote about it.
Also in the cover-up, Gunner Lawrence Colburn was awarded the Bronze Star. Even Wiki says that “An account of the action was fabricated for the document accompanying the decoration, and Thompson's signature was forged on the eyewitness report.” Those who have read all my articles have seen how common such forgery by the Regime is. It occurred many times with the Warren Commission, and I have cited how radiation badges were doctored regarding American soldiers’ exposure to radiation during atomic tests.
Now it is little known, but upon arriving back in Georgia (to face charges) Lt. William Calley was given a parade by no less than the supposed “liberal” Governor, and future President, one Jimmy Carter [Ref.: The book cited above.] Calley was court-martialed, and a military jury convicted Calley, on March 29, 1971, of premeditated murder of 22 civilians. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, at hard labor. President Nixon ordered him transferred from prison to house arrest at Fort Benning, Georgia, pending appeal. On August 20, 1971, the convening authority--the Commanding General of Fort Benning-- reduced his sentence to 20 years. The Secretary of the Army reviewed the sentence and findings and approved both, but in a separate clemency action commuted confinement to ten years. Calley petitioned the federal district court for habeas corpus on February 11, 1974, which was granted on September 25, 1974, along with his immediate release, by federal judge J. Robert Elliott. Ultimately, Calley served only three and a half years of house arrest in his quarters at Fort Benning.
The lead My Lai Massacre investigator, General Peers, had 26 officers and soldiers initially charged for their participation in the My Lai Massacre, or the subsequent cover-up. Only Calley was convicted.
The My Lai massacre caused at least one American soldier (Marine) to go AWOL, and avoid going to Vietnam and partaking in the senseless killing. (It also caused an increase in Conscientious Objector applications.) Ernest McQueen (aka Ernest Johnson Jr.) went AWOL in 1969 after learning about My Lai. McQueen was in hiding for 36 years, in the U.S. until, in 2006, a family member of his alerted the military, who then had police arrest him. After being held in jail for about two weeks, and after this was widely reported, the military decided not to press charges, and gave McQueen an “other than honorable discharge.”
Thompson was brought back to Washington, D.C., and had to testify before Congress. Several Congressmen wanted him court-martialed for ordering his gunner to point his machine gun at American troops. Nixon also considered this, but decided against it. Nonetheless Thompson, for years, feared this, and suffered much abuse and death threats. He did not receive any awards for many years. It was only after a Norwegian Air Force Major, Terje Lund (also an attorney, who writes that indifference must be countered in the field) began teaching about Thompson in his military ethics course, and publicized this, that changing opinion and renewed publicity about Thompson led to the Pentagon finally giving him an award. “Thirty years after the massacre, Thompson, Andreotta, and Colburn were awarded the Soldier's Medal (Andreotta posthumously), the Army's highest award for bravery not involving direct contact with the enemy. "It was the ability to do the right thing even at the risk of their personal safety that guided these soldiers to do what they did," then-Major General Michael Ackerman said at the 1998 ceremony.” Then for several years, Thompson was invited to speak about military ethics at military academies. All these lectures were apparently “lost,” as we have seen the actions of American troops, CIA “interrogators”, etc. in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo, and “special rendition” planes, ships, and overseas jails.
Lesson #1. The British/American Gestapo Regime’s killing and mayhem may only be halted when its servicemen and women point their weapons at their fellow killers, and fire if necessary. Remember that Thompson had ordered his gunner to actually fire his machine gun on the massacring American troops, if they did not stop their killing, of defenseless innocents. If we only had more of these incidents, the British-American regime wouldn’t be able to conduct its wars, and mass murders, and tortures, of innocent human beings. People have to learn that it is preferable to shoot themselves, or those who order the killing of innocents, or of War itself, rather than harm or kill innocent human beings. Likewise American agents and soldiers who “follow orders” and torture captives--many of whom are either completely innocent or who actually have knowledge of American guilt for what they have been imprisoned for--need to be stopped by other soldiers or agents who witness such torture, by means similar to that employed by Thompson and his crew.
Lesson #2. All of us can play a role in educating everyone we know who is part of the British American military, or “Homeland Security” forces. We must help them to acquire a mind of their own, and especially a conscience. Then we must help them to overcome their cowardice, and ACT, and do the right thing, regardless of consequences to themselves.
This tale of great courage by Hugh Thompson Jr., Lawrence Colburn, Glenn Andreotta, and Hebert Carter must be promulgated far and wide.
posted by spooked at 8:43 AM
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