My Lai Massacre
The pilot of the helicopter, Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson Jr., saw dead and wounded civilians as he was flying over the village of Sơn Mỹ. The helicopter was providing close-air support for U.S. soldiers (on the ground). The crew used two-way radio to call for help for the wounded civilians. The crew landed their helicopter next to a ditch, which they saw was full of bodies. They could see movement by survivors (in the ditch). Thompson spoke with two (American) soldiers next to the ditch. When Thompson was lifting-off with the helicopter, he saw that Seargeant Mitchell was shooting into the ditch. Thompson and his crew were witnesses to an unarmed woman being kicked and shot (, up close or) at point-blank range by officer Medina. Medina later claimed that he thought she had a hand grenade. Thompson then saw a group of civilians at a bunker, and soldiers were moving towards the civilians. Thompson landed, and told his crew that if the soldiers shot at the villagers while he was trying to get them out of the bunker, then his crew were to open fire on the soldiers.