The University of Delaware’s history department will present “A Evening with the Forgotten Heroes of My Lai: Hugh Thompson and Larry Colburn” from 7-10 p.m., Wednesday, May 1, in Clayton Hall, located off Route 896 on UD’s Laird Campus.

On March 16, 1968, Thompson, along with crewmates Colburn and the late Glenn Andreotta, saved the lives of at least 10 Vietnamese civilians during the unlawful massacre of noncombatants by American forces at My Lai, Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam.

Thompson landed his helicopter in the line of fire between fleeing Vietnamese civilians and pursuing American ground troops to prevent their murder. He then personally confronted the leader of the American ground troops and was prepared to open fire on those troops should they fire upon the civilians.

At the risk of their own personal safety, Thompson and his crew went forward of the American lines and brought Vietnamese citizens out of a bunker where they had been hiding, enabling their evacuation. Then, breaking radio silence, Thompson reported the massacre to his superiors, gaining a cease-fire.

Andreotta died in combat about a month after My Lai, but Thompson and Colburn survived the war, only to be vilified by a horrified and unbelieving public after testifying in a Pentagon investigation into the massacre.

It wasn’t until the filming of a 1989 documentary about My Lai that Thompson and Colburn were rediscovered and reclaimed as “forgotten heroes” of the Vietnam War.

On March 6, 1998, the two men finally received medals for their heroism in a ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

For more information about this free, public lecture call 831-2371.

April 18, 2002