My
Lai Chronology
1967 |
December 1, 1967 |
|
Charlie Company, led by Captain Ernest Medina, departs Hawaii for Quang Ngai province, Vietnam. |
1968 |
January 31, 1968 |
|
The Vietcong and the North Vietnamese Army launch the Tet Offensive against South vietnam and attack 36 provincial capitals. |
February, 1968 |
|
Artillery fire and the death of three men and the wounding of a dozen more in a minefield cause anger and tension for the men of Charlie Company. |
March
16, 1968 |
|
Assault
on the Son My village |
1969 |
March
29, 1969 |
|
Rob
Ridenhour's writes letter descibing the My Lai incident and
its cover-up. |
April
23, 1969 |
|
Inspector
General makes full inquiry. |
June
13, 1969 |
|
Hugh
Thompson identifies William Calley as the officer present
at My Lai. |
August
4, 1969 |
|
General
Westmoreland orders the I.G. to turn over the investigation
to the Criminal Investigation Division. |
September
4, 1969 |
|
Charges
brought against Calley. |
November
13, 1969 |
|
First
Story of My Lai published. |
November
14, 1969 |
|
Second
story published, with eyewitness accounts. Haeberle photos
published. |
December
13, 1969 |
|
Secretary
of Defense reports that anyone involved in the killings will
be prosecuted. |
1970 |
March
10, 1970 |
|
Captain
Ernest Medina charged with murder. |
March
14, 1970 |
|
Peers
Report delivered to Westmoreland. |
March
17, 1970 |
|
Fourteen
officers charged with offenses related to My Lai. |
1971 |
February
26, 1971 |
|
Charges
against the officers not at My Lai dropped. |
March
29, 1971 |
|
Charges
against several officers at My Lai dropped. |
March
29, 1971 |
|
Calley
convicted. |
March
31, 1971 |
|
Calley
sentenced to life. |
April
3, 1971 |
|
President
Nixon promises to personally review Calley's case. |
August
17, 1971 |
|
Trial
against Medina commences. |
August
20, 1971 |
|
Calley's
sentence reduced to twenty years. |
September
23, 1971 |
|
Medina
acquitted of all charges after jury deliberates for 60 minutes. |
1973 |
December
21, 1973 |
|
Military
Court of Appeals upholds Calley's conviction. |
1974 |
April
16, 1974 |
|
Calley's
sentence reduced to ten years. |
September
24, 1974 |
|
Calley's
conviction reviewed by District Court. |
November
9, 1974 |
|
Calley
released on bond. |
November
13, 1974 |
|
Peers
Report released in part. |
1975 |
September
10, 1975 |
|
Calley
paroled, after serving only three and a half years. |
1998 |
May
10, 1998 |
|
Ron
Ridenhour died of an apparent heart attack while playing handball. |
|