Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Women and chidren of My Lai, seconds before being shot to death by U.S. soldiers (photo: Ronald A. Haeberle/U.S. Army)
At a time when many people are contemplating human rights abuses committed by Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan, William Calley, more than 40 years after he led one of the most notorious attacks in U.S. military history, publicly apologized for the first time for the Vietnam War’s My Lai massacre. Calley, a former U.S. Army lieutenant, had remained silent about the March 16, 1968, atrocity since being convicted on 22 counts of murder in March 1971. Although sentenced to life in prison, Calley served less than four years under house arrest at Fort Benning, Georgia, due to the widespread belief that the low-ranking officer had been made a scapegoat to protect those higher up in the chain of command.
Calley held firm during his appearance last week before the Kiwanis Club of Columbus, Georgia, that he was only following orders to attack My Lai. He contended that Army intelligence indicated the village was filled with Viet Cong fighters, and that following aerial and artillery attacks, his men were under orders to kill everyone they found while making their sweeps.
The exact number of those killed has never officially been determined; the U.S. Army concluded that 347 Vietnamese lost their lives, while the Vietnamese government lists 504 people killed in My Lai and the neighboring hamlet of My Khe. Of these, 210 were 12 years old or younger and 27 were older than 70. The death toll might have been higher had it not been for three Army personnel circling above in their helicopter at the time of the massacre. Lawrence Colburn, who was part of the crew that landed their helicopter between Vietnamese civilians and U.S. troops preparing to fire on them, said he welcomed Calley’s public apology. He added, though, that Calley needs to do more.
“If he would somehow be able to make the trip back to My Lai and face the survivors and apologize there, face to face, it would be a healthy thing for him to do,” said Colburn.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
An Emotional William Calley Says He Is Sorry (Dick’s World)
William Calley Apologizes for My Lai Massacre (by Dick McMichael, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer)
My Lai Soldier: Apology Could Answer Survivors (National Public Radio)
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