THROWBACK PIC OF THE WEEK Horror massacre in Vietnam war U.S. TROOPS GUN DOWN CIVILIANS

ON THIS day in 1968, members of the US army carried out a shocking massacre of unarmed civilians during the Vietnam war.

The atrocity, known as the My Lai Massacre, saw 500 villagers mowed down by soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry regiment, or “Charlie Company”.

At the time, the US was at the height of its involvement in the war between North and South Vietnam, which had been raging since 1955.

The troops’ mission that morning was to fight the North’s Viet Cong guerrillas.

However, army-commissioned photographer Ron Haeberle later recalled that within minutes of landing by helicopter an hour after the troops had arrived, he realised there were no Viet Cong forces.

Instead, in a frenzy, the GIs were slaying and mutilating civilians, mainly women and children, aged one to 82.

The army immediately covered it up and sold it as a victory – until Ron took the brave decision to publish his shocking pictures.

He recalled: “The men were cold and silent. Almost robotic. It was a macabre scene. I saw 75 to 100 bodies.

“I will never forget one particular soldier.

Buffalo

“He got his bayonet out and jumped on the back of a water buffalo and was trying to ride it and kill it at the same time. He had lost all sight of reality.”

After his photos were published,afullinvestigation was launched. But only one man, Lt William Calley, was convicted.

In 1971 he was found guilty of 22 murders and sentenced to life with hard labour. Three years later he was pardoned by

President Nixon and freed.