This was done in 1969. Did you know about LT. Calley's Apology for the My Lai massacre?

2015-11-08T15:44:26-05:00

LT. William Calley was found guilty of 22 counts of murder in what is known as The My Lai massacre, in a village, in 1968. I've never heard anything about him apologizing for his actions. Women and babies were slaughtered, by LT. Cally's platoon, while on an assault on My Lai. I still don't know if it was done by exhausted, confused troops ordered by Calley to kill everyone or if he was ordered to do it.
And now, here is the rest of the story:

William Calley, the former Army lieutenant convicted on 22 counts of murder in the infamous My Lai Massacre in Vietnam, publicly apologized for the first time this week while speaking in Columbus.

“There is not a day that goes by that I do not feel remorse for what happened that day in My Lai,” Calley told members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Columbus on Wednesday. His voice started to break when he added, “I feel remorse for the Vietnamese who were killed, for their families, for the American soldiers involved and their families. I am very sorry.”

In March 1968, U.S. soldiers gunned down hundreds of civilians in the Vietnamese hamlet of My Lai. The Army at first denied, then downplayed the event, saying most of the dead were Vietcong. But in November 1969, journalist Seymour Hersh revealed what really happened and Calley was court martialed and convicted of murder.

Calley had long refused to grant interviews about what happened, but on Wednesday he spoke at a Columbus Kiwanis meeting. He made only a brief statement, but agreed to take questions from the audience.

He did not deny what had happened that day, but did repeatedly make the point — which he has made before — that he was following orders.

Calley explained he had been ordered to take out My Lai, adding that he had intelligence that the village was fortified and would be “hot” when he went in. He also said the area was submitted to an artillery barrage and helicopter fire before his troops went in. It turned out that it was not hot and there was no armed resistance. But he had been told, he said, that if he left anyone behind, his troops could be trapped and caught in a crossfire.

Asked about American casualties, Calley said there were two injuries, but neither was the result of enemy fire, adding, “They didn’t have time.”

One person asked about the story of a helicopter coming into My Lai during the massacre and its pilot threatening to open fire if the killing of civilians didn’t stop.

Calley said the pilot asked if he could take children out of the area and he relayed that request to his captain, who said the pilot could.

As far as any threats to fire on American soldiers by the pilot, or any threats of firing on the chopper, he said he does not recall hearing about that. He did say the helicopter was making a lot of noise during his conversation with the pilot.

Asked if the story about the threat to fire on troops killing civilians came from the pilot, Calley replied, “It certainly didn’t come from me.”

When asked if obeying an unlawful order was not itself an unlawful act, he said, “I believe that is true. If you are asking why I did not stand up to them when I was given the orders, I will have to say that I was a second lieutenant getting orders from my commander and I followed them — foolishly, I guess.” Calley then said that was not an excuse; it was just what happened.

The officer Calley said gave those orders was Capt. Ernest Medina, who was also tried for what happened at My Lai. Represented by the renowned Defense Attorney F. Lee Bailey, Medina was acquitted of all charges in 1971.

That same year, Calley didn’t fare as well.

After four months of testimony in a Fort Benning courtroom and almost two weeks of jury deliberation, he was convicted of premeditated murder. After the verdict was read, but before sentencing, Calley was allowed to address the court.

“I’m not going to stand here and plead for my life or my freedom,” Calley said. “If I have committed a crime, the only crime I have committed is in judgment of my values. Apparently I valued my troops’ lives more than I did those of the enemy ...”

Calley was sentenced to life in prison, which was later shortened considerably.

Many at the time considered Calley a scapegoat, forced to take the fall for those above him. That sentiment had been very strong when the late federal Judge J. Robert Elliot released Calley from custody after a habeas corpus hearing. An appeals court reversed Elliot’s ruling and Calley was returned to Army custody, but the Army soon paroled him.

Calley then settled in Columbus, married a young woman named Penny Vick and worked in her father’s jewelry store here for years. He now lives in Atlanta with his 28-year-old son, Laws, who is doing doctoral work in electrical engineering at Georgia Tech.

Calley has been free now for years, but he remains stripped of some of his civil rights.

“No, I still cannot vote,” he said. “In fact, I’m not even supposed to go into the post office, I guess.”

Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/article29059669.html#storylink=cpy

William Calley apologizes for My Lai massacre

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Nov 8 at 2015 4:01 PM

2015-11-08T16:01:25-05:00

I don't remember this article, in particular. For a long time I thought it was what now is considered PTSD, and reacted because he had seen so many of his charges killed by these same people. Unless, he made some sort of deal to cover up for his superiors, he probably should not have had his sentence reduced.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 8 at 2015 4:39 PM

2015-11-08T16:39:30-05:00

SGT Private RallyPoint Member I had never heard anything about him apologizing either. Thank you for posting this. It is always good to hear, "the rest of the story".

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Nov 8 at 2015 6:03 PM

2015-11-08T18:03:42-05:00

I seriously doubt we will ever know everything that happened that day. I doubt that anyone in the village that day will ever know exactly what happened and why....Or by who.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Nov 8 at 2015 6:09 PM

2015-11-08T18:09:33-05:00

Many years ago I read about then LT. William Calley apologizing for his actions for teh My Lai massacre when he was at Fort Benning I believe SGT Private RallyPoint Member

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 8 at 2015 9:44 PM

2015-11-08T21:44:23-05:00

My update on my question:
I just finished watching the video of the My Lai massacre. My opinion is that the entire C company troopers were guilty of following orders to kill anyone that moved when they entered that village. The orders came from higher up than the Company commander. There was no scouting the village by helicopters to see if there were combatants. In my unit, before we went on an air assault, which meant carrying the infantry to the combat zone, a scout H-13 chopper was sent out to see if it was going to be a hot LZ. Most of the time they came back with a bullet hole in the chin bubble. Sometimes they were shot down. So, when we went in, anything that moved was a target. What we did was no different than what C company did, except we didn't fly around, after the assault, shooting prisoners or villagers. In fact, several days before we went in, the villagers were extracted and relocated.
In My Lai, the orders were that the entire village and area was infiltrated with VC, NVA, and enemy sympathizers. The massacre was caused by the troops being mad and hating the Vietnamese for what happened to them before entering My Lai. They had been killed by snipers, booby traps, and land mines. Something like what happened, I can understand. Sometimes you got so frustrated and angry, you could turn into an animal, not realizing or thinking about what you are doing.
From the grunt all, the way up to a General, there were charges pressed about covering up the massacre. By the time it was over and done, only Calley was tried and found guilty of murder. So, it is my opinion that although Calley gave orders and killed civilians, he was made a scapegoat for the entire massacre and cover up. None of his troops were charged for killing innocent civilians. None of his command was charged for giving the order to kill everything. Only Calley, was, and that to me made him a scapegoat.

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Nov 9 at 2015 6:32 PM

2015-11-09T18:32:52-05:00

Wow, thanks for the post. It was a lingering question in my mind as to whatever happened to the Lt. Always wondered what became of the Calley.

Response by 1SG Patrick Sims made Nov 11 at 2015 8:26 PM

2015-11-11T20:26:55-05:00

I always believed Calley was a killer for over 30 years. A few years back I had an opportunity to read the transcripts of his Court Martial---I wasn't so sure after that---It seemed to me the Army wanted someone to blame this mess on--why know this insignificant Lieutenant.