Hugh Thompson was a pilot, just like many more
Fighting for Old Glory on a far-off, foreign shore
He was on a lethal mission, only one of many
Following his orders to kill the enemy, to kill the enemy
He flew low above the village, searching for the foe
When he saw a wounded child on the path below
He thought this to be a sure sign that the enemy was near
So he radioed for back-up and more choppers did appear, more choppers did appear
"Help the wounded," he cried out, "and beware of an attack"
And then the child died by a bullet through her back
And when he looked around for the culprits of the scene
It was a company of men in U.S. military green, U.S. military green
The dead were in the hundreds, strewn all around
In this place called My Lai, which once had been a town
There was a hut of huddled children, soldiers had them in their sights
Hugh decided at that moment to fight for what was right, to fight for what was right
"Train your weapons on the G.I.'s," and his ‘copter crews obeyed
And stood among the children, tattered and afraid
The whole town had been murdered, but for some kids and widowed wives
And Hugh Thompson made sure that those remaining would survive
that those remaining would survive
It was a fifteen-minute stand-off in a knee-deep sea of red
Amidst the moaning of the dying and the silence of the dead
Hugh Thompson was a soldier and he served his country well
On the day he saved the lives of a dozen kids in hell, of a dozen kids in hell
David Rovics - Song for Hugh Thompson (7,5 MB)
Эта песня довольно точно описывает действия вертолетчика-разведчика Хью Томпсона и его экипажа утром 16 марта 1968 года в деревне, широко известной у нас, как Сонгми. Здесь стоит отметить, что основная заслуга Томпсона была даже не в том, что он встал между вьетнамцами и совершенно охуевшими пехотинцами роты С, приказав своему стрелку Лоренсу Колберну, если что, бить из М60 на поражение. Примерно в 11 утра экипаж Томпсона вернулся на базу для дозаправки и Томпсон представил рапорт о происходящем. Новости быстро дошли до подполковника Фрэнка Баркера и тот немедленно прекратил операцию. Если бы этого не случилось, то, наверное, на мемориале Сонгми значились бы не 504 имени; возможно, счет пошел бы на тысячи (операция охватывала не только эту деревню).
Двенадцать человек, о которых идет речь -- это те, кого Томпсон вывез, использовав приданные ему два ганшипа, как санитарные вертолеты.
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