hugh thompson jr awards
Thompson threw away the Distinguished Flying Cross he was awarded for saving the lives of Vietnamese civilians "in the face of hostile enemy fire." Occupation This ended his combat career in Vietnam, and he was evacuated to a hospital in Japan and began a long period of rehabilitation. Having always wanted to fly, Thompson joined the US Army in 1966 and trained to become a helicopter pilot at Forts Wolters and Rucker. It also stated that his "sound judgment had greatly enhanced Vietnamese–American relations in the operational area." He grew up in rural Stone Mountain, GA, raised by his strict parents. Thompson gave his first lecture to a U.S. Army audience, discussing physical and moral courage, at the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, Ft. Sam Houston, TX, in 1998. As a direct result of what he experienced, Thompson experienced posttraumatic stress disorder, alcoholism, divorce, and severe nightmare disorder. In a 2004 interview with 60 Minutes, Thompson was quoted referring to C Company's men involved in the massacre: "I mean, I wish I was a big enough man to say I forgive them, but I swear to God, I can't.". Pursuing them were soldiers from the 2nd Platoon, C Company. When news of the massacre publicly broke, Thompson repeated his account to then-Colonel William Wilson [15] and then-Lieutenant General William Peers during their official Pentagon investigations. Hugh Thompson, Actor: The House of Gold. "Here we were supposed to be the guys in the white hats. Join Facebook to connect with Hugh Thompson and others you may know. For the same act of heroism, SPC Glenn Urban Andreotta and SPC Lawrence Manley “Larry” Colburn received the Soldier's Medal. ?oldid=5347744. He would go through a couple of marriages, and by his own admission, wasn’t much of a father. [33], Jonathan Berger composed a piano concerto dedicated to Hugh Thompson, which was commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts. Full Name Shocked at the sight, he radioed his accompanying gunships, knowing his transmission would be monitored by many on the radio net: "It looks to me like there's an awful lot of unnecessary killing going on down there. London Guardian, Obituary of Hugh Thompson Jr, 11th January, 2006. View the profiles of people named Hugh Thompson. Thompson flew an OH-23 Raven at the time of the My Lai Massacre, In the early morning of March 16, 1968, Thompson's OH-23 encountered no enemy fire over My Lai 4. Although these reports reached Task Force Barker operational headquarters, nothing was done to stop the massacre. Hugh Thompson was born on May 20, 1887 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA as Hugh Edward Thompson. THOMPSON, HUGH M, JR. is, or was from BLACKSHEAR in Georgia, United States. He retired from the Army with the rank of Major in 1983. At the age of 62, after extensive treatment for cancer, Thompson was removed from life support and died on January 6, 2006, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Pineville, Louisiana. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. During the massacre, Thompson and his Hiller OH-23 Raven crew, Glenn Andreotta and Lawrence Colburn, stopped a number of killings by threatening and blocking American officers and enlisted soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 11th Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division. The … No information Do-Gooder Thompson told him he wanted help getting the peasants out of the bunker:[8]. Thompson had no special education, or at least not ‘special’ as society defines it. Ian M. Thompson Jr., MD For outstanding leadership and contributions in clinical trials and treatment of urologic cancers. Andreotta had died in combat three weeks after the massacre, and so was honored posthumously. Cleland said the three men were, "true examples of American patriotism at its finest."[23]. [17] Rivers publicly stated that he felt Thompson was the only soldier at My Lai who should be punished (for turning his weapons on fellow American troops) and unsuccessfully attempted to have him court-martialed. He also spoke at the United States Air Force Academy and to United States Marine Corps officers at Quantico. [2][3] After dropping out of Troy State University, he volunteered for the United States Navy in 1961 and served with a Seabee construction unit from 1961 to 1964. Thompson turned to Colburn and Andreotta and told them that if the Americans began shooting at the villagers or him, they should fire their M60 machine guns at the Americans:[8] "Y'all cover me! After this, he returned home to Georgia and ran a funeral home. Family Thompson landed his helicopter and dismounted. Thompson served as a counselor in the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, and gave a lecture at the United States Naval Academy in 2003 and the United States Military Academy in 2005 on Professional Military Ethics. After dropping out of Troy State University, he volunteered for the United States Navy in 1961 and served with a Seabeeconstruction unit from 1961 to 1964. Spotting two possible Viet Cong suspects, he forced the Vietnamese men to surrender and flew them off for a tactical interrogation. They also dedicated a new elementary school for the children of the village. Articles incorporating text from Find a Grave.com, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War, Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article787066.ece, "Moral Courage In Combat: The My Lai Story", http://www.usna.edu/Ethics/publications/documents/ThompsonPg1-28_Final.pdf, History of B Company 123rd Avn Bn, Resume of the 123d Aviation Battalion, http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mylai/Henderson.html, http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2006/jan/11/guardianobituaries.usa, http://books.google.com/books?id=y_8NAQAAMAAJ, "My lai 4: a report on the massacre and its aftermath", http://books.google.com/books?id=T4lAAAAAIAAJ, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/07/national/07thompson.html, http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/record/1998/1998_S01709.pdf, http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/record/2006/2006_E00088.pdf, The U.S. Army Chief of Staff’s Professional Reading List. Realizing that the soldiers intended to murder the Vietnamese, Thompson landed his aircraft between them and the villagers. Hugh Thompson was a helicopter pilot in 1968, on a day American soldiers gunned down more than 500 unarmed civilians in a village called My Lai. Peers Inquiry: Report of the Department of the Army Review of the Preliminary Investigations into the My Lai Incident, The Heroes of My Lai (first-hand report by Thompson), Hugh Thompson’s Crewmember Remembers Helping to Stop the My Lai Massacre, http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12922923, https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Hugh_Thompson,_Jr. Something ain't right about this. After his Vietnam service, Thompson was assigned to Fort Rucker to become an instructor pilot and later received a direct commission. [32], Thom Parrott (aka Tom Parrott) wrote the song "Pinkville Helicopter" about the massacre. Thompson then flew over an irrigation ditch filled with dozens of bodies. Thompson threw away the citation.[13]. NEW ORLEANS — Hugh Thompson Jr., a former Army helicopter pilot honored for rescuing Vietnamese civilians from his fellow GIs during the My Lai massacre, died early Friday. On February 8, 2006, Congressman Charles Boustany (R-La.) Jonathan Berger. NEW ORLEANS -- Hugh Thompson Jr., a former Army helicopter pilot honored for rescuing Vietnamese civilians from his fellow GIs during the My Lai massacre, died early yesterday. ... 2012 Award Winner Ian M. Thompson Jr., MD For outstanding contributions to the diagnosis, control and prevention of prostate cancer. Glenn AndreottaLawrence Colburn The citation didn't mention that the hostile fire was from the American side, and Thompson felt his commanding officers were trying to … [18] Bilton and his colleague Kevin Sim then began researching a book and Bilton conducted further interviews with Thompson and Colburn. Hugh Thompson Jr. was a twenty-five-year-old helicopter pilot, and Army warrants officer. [11] Concerned, senior American officers cancelled similar planned operations by Task Force Barker against other villages (My Lai 5, My Lai 1, etc.) The citation for the award fabricated events, for example praising Thompson for taking to a hospital a Vietnamese child "caught in intense crossfire". Real Life Heroes Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. [31], Ryan Costello of The Oaks wrote a song commemorating Hugh Thompson's heroism in For Hugh Thompson, Who Stood Alone on the album Our Fathers and the Things They Left Behind. In four of those instances, his aircraft was lost. Thompson and Colburn were also rewarded with the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award in 1999. Emma Thompson? [1] As word of his actions became publicly known, Thompson started receiving hate mail, death threats and mutilated animals on his doorstep.[3]. Bilton had been talking with his former crew member Larry Colburn, and put the two in touch with each other after a gap of nearly 16 years. Twenty-six officers and enlisted soldiers, including William Calley and Ernest Medina, were charged with criminal offenses, but all were either acquitted or pardoned. Soldier's Medal He was 62. The three "set the standard for all soldiers to follow." Origin Hugh Clowers Thompson, Jr. was born on April 15, 1943, in Atlanta, Georgia. There's something wrong here. Type of Hero Additionally, Thompson and his crew saved a number of Vietnamese civilians by personally escorting them away from advancing United States Army ground units and assuring their evacuation by air. [25] Thompson and his crew's actions have been used as an example in the ethics manuals of U.S. and European militaries. Skills No information 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. Both Thompson and Colburn agreed to be interviewed for the film Four Hours in My Lai (1989) (Remember My Lai? Out in a paddy field beside a dike 200 metres (660 ft) south of the village, he marked the location of a wounded young Vietnamese woman. Thompson and Colburn were invited to speak to a wide range of audiences about the ethics of warfare including at West Point, a conference in Norway, and at Connecticut College in New London, Conn., where they were each awarded an honorary doctorate. Barker radioed his executive officer to find out from Captain Medina what was happening on the ground. Despite the adversity he faced, he remained in the United States Army until November 1, 1983, then continued to make a living as a helicopter pilot in the Southeastern United States. In 1999, Thompson and Colburn received the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award. Furious, Thompson flew over the northeast corner of the village and spotted a group of about ten civilians, including children, running toward a homemade bomb shelter. 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. After evacuating a child to a Quảng Ngãi hospital, Thompson angrily reported to his superiors at Task Force Barker headquarters that a massacre was occurring at Sơn Mỹ. Thompson became a helicopter pilot for the oil industry, operating in the Gulf of Mexico. Serving as one door-gunner was his crew chief, Specialist Glenn Andreotta; the other door-gunner was Specialist Lawrence Colburn. Hugh Grant's hilarious thoughts on costars From Vietnam to Iraq: A Content Analysis of Protest Music. Both Thompson and Colburn had been trying to find each other without success. Hugh Thompson, an Army helicopter pilot who rescued Vietnamese civilians during the My Lai massacre, reported the killings to his superior officers in a … Yves Fradet, MD For outstanding mentorship, research, leadership and exemplary surgical care of patients with urologic cancers. Thompson, Hugh M, Jr. is associated with the company PIERCE TIMBER COMPANY, INC.. Bilton flew down and spent a long weekend with Thompson discussing the events at My Lai. Enemies When the book Four Hours in My Lai (1992)[19] (not to be confused with My Lai 4 (1970)[20] in 2009 turned into film[21]) was published it prompted a campaign to have the heroism of Thompson and his helicopter crew recognised. Thompson reported the atrocities by radio several times while at Sơn Mỹ. Allies Later that year, both men served as co-chairs of STONEWALK, a group who pulled a one-ton rock engraved "Unknown Civilians Killed in War" from Boston to Arlington National Cemetery. Thompson was living in Lafayette, Louisiana, and Colburn near Atlanta, Georgia, and they quickly arranged a reunion. In 1998, 30 years after the massacre, Thompson and the two other members of his crew, Glenn Andreotta and Lawrence Colburn, were awarded the Soldier’s Medal (Andreotta posthumously), the United States Army’s highest award for bravery not involving direct contact with the enemy. In 1998, 30 years after the massacre, Thompson and the two other members of his crew, Andreotta and Colburn, were awarded the Soldier's Medal (Andreotta posthumously), the United States Army's highest award for bravery not involving direct contact with the enemy. He graduated from high school in 1950 and attended Brewton Parker College where he played basketball and baseball. [30], Folk singer David Rovics wrote a song about the incident at My Lai called Song for Hugh Thompson. Hugh Thompson, Actor: Sea of Love. Hugh Thompson Jr. receives the Soldier’s Medal, 30 years after his actions at My Lai. Robert Downey Jr.? “There were real good highs, and very low lows,” Thompson said of the visit. Colburn came from Atlanta to be at his bedside. United States Army MajorFormer warrants Officer Thompson and Colburn returned to Sơn Mỹ to meet with survivors of the massacre at the Sơn Mỹ Memorial in 1998. [12], Initially, commanders throughout the American chain of command were successful in covering up the My Lai Massacre. This company has status ACTIVE and last filed a significant event 6 years ago on 17th September 2014. [26] In 2005, he retired from Louisiana Veterans Affairs. David MitchellErnest MedinaWilliam Calley I was aghast at hearing how Lt William Calley got away with cold blooded murder, spending one day behind bars as a convicted criminal. [9] While Thompson was returning to base to refuel, Andreotta spotted movement in an irrigation ditch filled with approximately 100 bodies. WO1 Hugh Thompson, Jr. [22] Bilton was specially invited by Connecticut College to introduce Thompson and Colburn to the audience of students and academics. Distinguished Flying Cross Hugh Clowers Thompson Jr. (April 15, 1943 – January 6, 2006) was a United States Army Major, and a former warrant officer in the 123rd Aviation Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Division. In 1999, Thompson and Colburn received the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award. He was called a traitor by many but also given awards later in life. Thompson and his crew watched from a low hover as Captain Ernest Medina (commanding officer of C Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment) came up to the woman, prodded her with his foot, and then shot and killed her. Back to Awards List Hugh Hampton Young Award. "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. He helped end the My Lai Massacre of the South Vietnamese village known as Sơn Mỹ on March 16, 1968. "[6], Movement from the ditch indicated to Thompson that there were still people alive in there. The Times obituary of Hugh Thompson Jr, 11th January, 2006. The helicopter again landed and the men dismounted to search for survivors. Goals The veteran’s name was Hugh Clowers Thompson, Jr. His parents were a couple of no-nonsense, God-fearing southerners in rural Alabama. In 1998, 30 years after the massacre, Thompson and the two other members of his crew, Andreotta and Colburn, were awarded the Soldier's Medal (Andreotta posthumously), the United States Army's highest award for bravery not involving direct contact with the enemy. Thompson quickly received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions at My Lai. Hugh Thompson Jr landed his helicopter in between the Vietnamese villagers and the USA platoon that was killing them. [10] His allegations of civilian killings quickly reached Lieutenant Colonel Frank Barker, the operation's overall commander. He then dismounted to confront the 2nd Platoon's leader, Stephen Brooks. Dec. 2 (UPI) --Actor Hugh Keays-Byrne, most known for his roles as two separate villains in the Mad Max films, has died, his representation said.He was 73 years old. Medina then gave the cease-fire order to Charlie Company to "knock off the killing". Hugh Thompson is an actor, known for Sea of Love (1989), Blessed Stranger: After Flight 111 (2000) and Poor Boy's Game (2007). Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Golden Globes Emmys STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events. No information Thompson continued to fly the observation missions in the OH-23 Raven and was hit by enemy fire a total of eight times. Second Lieutenant William Calley (commanding officer of the 1st Platoon, C Company) then came up, and the two had the following conversation:[7], Thompson took off again, and Andreotta reported that Mitchell was now executing the people in the ditch. "My Lai: A Half Told Story", London Sunday Times Magazine, pp 28-29, 23rd April, 1989. "[27], In 2010, the Hugh Thompson Foundation was chartered, in memory of Thompson's courage in halting the massacre. Thompson was condemned and ostracized by many individuals in the United States military and government, as well as the public, for his role in the investigations and trials concerning the My Lai massacre. My Lai Massacre, Vietnam, 1968. Hugh Mac Thompson Sr. died peacefully Tuesday morning, December 2, 2014, in Blackshear at the age of 82. for PBS in the US) - which went on to win a British Academy Award and an International Emmy. Hugh Clowers Thompson, Jr. (April 15, 1943 – January 6, 2006) was a United States Army helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. Thompson took off again, and Andreotta reported that Mitchell was now executing the people in the ditch. Purple Heart. Was Hugh a hero or traitor? If these bastards open up on me or these people, you open up on them. On March 16, 1968, he was flying a mission in Vietnam and came across a large number of civilian dead bodies, and in pursuing surveillance he discovered that those civilians had been killed, and the survivors were still under fire, by American forces. It was premiered at the United Nations General Assembly, January 24, 2001. [34] A subsequent solo piano work, Elegy for the Victims of My Lai, adapted from the concerto was recorded and performed by pianist Sasha Toperich.[35]. After this, he returned home to Georgia and ran a funeral home. The interview showed Thompson overcome with grief at what he had witnessed at My Lai and his sense of powerlessness at not being able to prevent it happening. [16] In late 1969, Thompson was summoned to Washington DC and appeared before a special closed hearing of the House Armed Services Committee. He was 62. 'Not remotely sane.' Furious, Thompson flew over the northeast corner of the village and spotted a group of about ten civilians, including children, running toward a homemade bomb shelter. David Mitchell, a sergeant and squad leader in 1st Platoon, C Company, walked over to him. Brooks declined to argue with him, even though as a commissioned officer he outranked Thompson. Awards and recognition. 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. In 1998, 30 years after the massacre, Hugh Thompson and the two other members of his crew, Andreotta and Colburn, were awarded the Soldier’s Medal (Andreotta posthumously), the United States Army’s highest award for bravery not involving direct contact with the enemy. 'He wanted to kill me.' Hugh Clowers Thompson, Jr. was born on April 15, 1943, in Atlanta, Georgia. Wessie Thompson (Mother)Hugh Thompson Sr. (Father)Thomas Thompson (Brother)Unknown Ex-wifeThree unknown sons Extract US Army ("Peers") Rpt into My Lai Massacre: The Omissions and commissions of Col. Oran K. Henderson. Promise me!" ... Bradley Thompson was born as Hugh Bradley Thompson Jr. in Quang Ngai Province, possibly preventing the additional massacre of hundreds, if not thousands, of Vietnamese civilians. That lesson is exemplified by Major Hugh Thompson, Jr., a helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam. Mr Thompson was close to tears as he accepted the award in 1998 “for all the men who served their country with honor on the battlefields of South-East Asia”. Works for solo instruments. Alias Hugh Hampton Young Award. Robert Hathaway, CPT, MS, Faculty, U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, Ft. Sam Houston, TX. [1] He grew up in rural Stone Mountain, Georgia, raised by his strict parents. For Hugh Thompson, Who Stood Alone. [28], His biography The forgotten hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson story[29] was included in the U.S. Army Chief of Staff’s professional reading list. When asked by Thompson whether any help could be provided to the people in the ditch, the sergeant replied that the only way to help them was to put them out of their misery. After coaxing the 11 Vietnamese out of the bunker, Thompson persuaded the pilots of the two UH-1 Huey gunships (Dan Millians and Brian Livingstone) flying as his escort to evacuate them. Bronze Star Medal It proved the beginning of a long friendship which lasted until Thompson's death. Hugh Clowers Thompson, Jr. was born on 15 April 1943 in Atlanta, GA. Military people similar to or like Hugh Thompson Jr. United States Army Major, and a former warrant officer in the 123rd Aviation Battalion of … When Thompson's role in preventing loss of innocent lives became known, the United States Army awarded him in 1998 the Soldier's Medal, which is the highest award for valor not involving combat. In 1998, Thompson and Colburn returned to the village of My Lai, where they met some of the villagers they had rescued, including Thi Nhung and Pham Thi Nhanh, two women who had been part of the group that was about to be killed by Brooks' 2nd Platoon. https://real-life-heroes.fandom.com/wiki/Hugh_Thompson_Jr. Thompson made an official report of the killings, and was interviewed by Colonel Oran Henderson, the commander of the 11th Infantry Brigade (the parent organization of the 20th Infantry). He is best known for his role in stopping the My Lai Massacre, in which a group of US Army soldiers tortured and killed several hundred unarmed Vietnamese civilians, mutilating their bodies after they had been murdered.
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