To the Editor,
Today being the Fourth of July, I reflected on our country's history and many of it's past heroes. The one name which stood out in my mind was that of Hugh C.Thompson Jr. I've been thinking about writing a letter about Hugh for a while, but just couldn't find the words to do him justice.
Most people in the United States today have never heard of him and have no idea who he is, so let me begin in 1968. Back then Hugh Thompson was a young U.S. Army warrant officer and helicopter pilot when he and his crew were flying a mission over a small village in South Vietnam called My Lai. From his vantage point he could see that units of his army, The U.S. Army, were slaughtering hundreds of unarmed civilians.
Thompson, realizing what was taking place, immediately landed his helicopter between the U.S. soldiers and the unarmed civilians. He then ordered his crew to "open up" on anyone firing on the unarmed Vietnamese, thereby protecting and saving the lives of many innocent civilians. Unfortunately, one of his crew members was killed shortly thereafter in another engagement.
For their bravery, Hugh Thompson, Lawrence Colburn and Glen Andreotta (posthumously) were awarded the Soldier's Medal exactly thirty years later.
Today our country is involved in another illegal and immoral war based on lies. We have seen and heard reports of massacres, torture and rapes. We have seen the credibility and reputation of our nation degraded by a gang of thugs called the Bush Administration.
I myself, along with many other outraged citizens and veterans, have joined the peace movement to put an end to this nightmare. I personally have landed my helicopter at protests and vigils, teach-ins and in front of Armed Forces recruiting stations and finally in front of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C.
So I call on each and everyone of you to be brave and couragous like Hugh Thompson . Don't be afraid to land your helicopter. Stop this war!
Kenneth Dalton
EN2, U.S.N. 1970-74
President, Veterans For Peace
Chapter 21, New Jersey
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