Hugh Thompson: American Hero: Personal Memory

[jfxgillis]

I've been thinking about posting this for a few days, since Hugh died last week:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2025972

I lived in Lafayette, LA during the 90s, the city where Hugh had settled. During that stretch Hugh's story was both still unknown and then he became famous because of the "60 Minutes" piece. He was, however, known and respected and admired locally even before the big national story.

So, one day just about the time his biography came out, he and his biographer did a presentation sponsored by the local library, slide-show by the writer, book-signing by Hugh. So a friend and I decided to go. There were a few ex-hippie-types (me, for one), a few ex-military-types (not neccessarily mutually exclusive categories), and a bunch of blue-haired old ladies, you know, the kind who go to obscure library signings by obscure local celebrities.

Anyway, at around starting time as the local blue-hairs and a few of us ex-hippies and Vietnam Vets milled around, they set up the film screen and said "Okay, let's get started!" So I turned to my friend and said, "Oh, crap, honey, I better go smoke a cigarette right now so I'll be set for the whole show."

So I stepped out into the alley to find one other person who had the same idea I had: Hugh Thompson was there smoking a cigarrette. So I lit up and joked with him about the missing his own presentation. "Nah," he shot back with a broad smile, I'm not missing anything--I know how the story ends." So I laughed and we chatted for a bit. Then I got to be late getting back to my seat and I realized, "Huh? I can go inside for an hour and listen to some guy talk about Hugh Thompson, or I can talk to Hugh for an hour? No contest." So I lit another ciggie and asked, "So what am I missing?"

So he summarized the story and then we just talked about it. He was a great and good man, charismatic and gentle of bearing, patients ... and strong. Since he literally had nothing else to do, he just told me the story of My Lai for forty-five minutes. Before it was about time for Hugh to go in and do his little five-minute conclusion, I asked him this question:

What part of the story do you never tell the old ladies in the library?

Oddly enough the answer he gave me is referenced in his New York Times obit:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/07/national/07thompson.html

"Mr. Thompson radioed for a helicopter gunship to evacuate the group, and then his crew chief, Glenn Andreotta, pulled a boy from a nearby irrigation ditch, and their helicopter flew him to safety.} (emphasis added)

But that's not what happened, or, only what happened. How that boy got out of the ditch was so stomach-turningly gruesome that I perfectly understood why he never told the story public. In fact, my memories of the story of My Lai which had always been domiated by the famous photos, is now dominated by those words from the lips of Hugh Thompson that night in that alley smoking cigarettes.

He deserves a monument on the Mall.

[bananas]

1. More details? nt

[jfxgillis]

2. I guess you mean "What wouldn't he tell the old ladies?"

As Thompson made contact with division, Andreotta reconnoitered the irrigation ditch, which was filled with corpses.

Partway way down he thought he saw movement.

So he called over Hugh and they waded in. They were drenched in blood chest-deep as they pushed aside bodies to investigate.

Turns out, there had been movement and the young boy was not only a alive but mostly unhurt. Calley's men had simply missed him as all the adults who had been shot fell on top of the boy into the ditch. The boy was soaked in blood from head-to-toe.

[bananas]

4. that sounds pretty gruesome

wading through the dead bodies.
Thanks for the story.

[jfxgillis]

5. Thanks for reading it

As I said, it took a few days of brooding before I even decided if I should post it.

[bananas]

9. I'm glad you did

brooding sucks
we're only here for a short while
might as well share

[jfxgillis]

11. Ultimately, I think you're right

On one side there was both the fact that I had asked him what details he did not tell, and who am I to tell details he never told? and the fact that it IS quite gruesome--what a downer to read of a morning on an internet board. Hence, I brood.

But on the other side, he did in fact tell ME those details, which makes it MY story even if it wasn't part of HIS, plus the fact that it's the unvarnished truth, and the truth is a First Principle. Therefore, I post.

[styersc]

12. Great Story.

I folloowed the discussion of Thompson at Free Republic and those folks are down right sick. Called Thompson a traitor etc- pretty cliche' stuff. Your story scrubbed the stench of FR out of my head.

[jfxgillis]

13. You know, I almost have more respect for the freepers ...

... who at least have consistently maintained their position from Day One 'til now.

It's those scumbags who defended Calley then and self-righteously praise Thompson now that really get under my skin.

[arewenotdemo]

16. Thompson a traitor???

Only to a culture without any hope of redemption.

[kenny blankenship]

18. I've been waiting for Ann Coulter to scream out her joyous celebration

of the death of this "traitor".

[catnhatnh]

3. May the Gentle Jesus....

If there is such a thing, recognize and reward his performance.I wish I had met him....

[Sequoia]

6. Thanks for sharing this story.

[two gun sid]

7. He really was a hero. We need more like him.

[bananas]

8. kick nt

[Trigger Hippie]

10. I met Mr. Thompson.

I once interviewed Hugh Thompson when I worked for a paper in Lafayette, LA, about Abu Ghraib and how that military scandal compared to My Lai. He was a real stand-up guy. He seemed VERY suspicious of the Bush administration and what the top dogs were hiding about Abu Ghraib, especially Cheney. I was very sad to hear of his passing.

[jfxgillis]

14. Got a link to your story

?

[Trigger Hippie]

17. I did try looking for one but The Times (surprise)

doesn't have archives at all. Oh, well. :(

[otohara]

15. Mighty Good Man

may he rest in peace O8)

[DemoTex]

19. Hugh Thompson has long been my #1 personal hero.

Your story about your encounter with Hugh Thompson is exactly how I would imagine it would be. You are very lucky, sir. You had an important conversation with a very great man. If I were you, I'd savor that link to history and chronicle every aspect that you can possibly remember. May Hugh Thompson rest in the peace he so richly deserves.

[jfxgillis]

20. One other thing we chatted about ...

... which I found fascinating, was the way Calley's men--actually, Medina's men, Thompson held Capt. Medina almost entirely responsible--followed orders perpetrating the massacre, whereas the men in Hugh's crew followed orders in stopping it. Hugh had no doubt whatsoever that his gunner would have fired on Calley's men had they not stopped what they were doing.

The point he made was that military leadership--precisely because of the fundamental immorality of war no matter how neccessary it might be--has to be strictly and uncompromisingly moral.

[Trigger Hippie]

21. Here's a link about his burial in today's Lafayette Daily Advertiser:

http://theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060112/NEWS01/601120311/1002

[bobbieinok]

22. I remember the political groups (repub, I think) and churches (SoBapt, I

think) all praised Calley, tried to get him pardoned, invited him to meetings to praise him as a 'great christian American crucified by the liberals, democrats, and the media'

[jfxgillis]

24. Ya got dat rite

The American Legion paid his legal bills.

Country music stations played a sympathetic ballad.

John Tower was quoted in Newsweek claiming it was all good for the Republicans.

Thirty fucking years from now, everyone will be claiming they were disgusted by Abu Gharib and they'll blame it all on Lynddie England.

[ret5hd]

23. kick