"If You Fire on Those Civilians, I Will Fire on You" — Hugh Thompson Jr., the Helicopter Pilot Who Stopped the My Lai Massacre
On March 16, 1968, a 25-year-old American helicopter pilot landed his aircraft between U.S. soldiers and Vietnamese civilians during the My Lai Massacre, threatening to shoot his own comrades if they harmed one more innocent person. Branded a traitor for 30 years, Hugh Thompson Jr. was ultimately recognized as one of the most morally courageous soldiers in American military history.
Sep 30, 2026