2.6.11

My Lai Massacre: U.S. Army Charges 14 Officers




The My Lai Massacre was the mass murder South Vietnam on March 16, 1968, conducted South Vietnam by a unit of the United States Army. All of the victims were civilians and most were women, children (including babies), and elderly people. Many of the victims were raped, beaten, tortured, and some of the bodies were found mutilated.

On November 17, 1970, the U.S. Army charged 14 officers, including Major General Samuel W. Koster, the Americal Division's commanding officer, with suppressing information related to the incident. Most of those charges were later dropped. Brigade commander Henderson was the only officer who stood trial on charges relating to the cover-up; he was acquitted on December 17, 1971