What was the name of the U.S. Army Lieutenant court-martialled for permitting atrocities in Vietnam in 1971?

In 1971, U.S. Army Lieutenant William Calley was court-martialed for his role in the My Lai Massacre, a horrific event that occurred on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War. Calley was the leader of a platoon from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, which entered the village of My Lai in Quang Ngai province, South Vietnam. Despite facing no resistance, his unit brutally killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians, including women, children, and elderly men. The atrocities included rape and mutilation, and many victims were rounded up and shot in a ditch.

The massacre was initially covered up by the military, but it came to public attention in late 1969 through the efforts of a Vietnam veteran and investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. This led to a formal investigation and charges against several soldiers, with Lieutenant Calley becoming the most prominent figure. His court-martial began in November 1970 and lasted four months, drawing intense national media attention and sparking widespread debate about the morality of the Vietnam War and accountability for war crimes.

On March 29, 1971, Calley was found guilty of 22 counts of premeditated murder for his direct involvement in the killings. He was initially sentenced to life imprisonment, but his sentence was significantly reduced by President Richard Nixon and subsequent reviews, ultimately leading to his release on parole after serving only about three years under house arrest. Calley was the only U.S. service member convicted for the My Lai Massacre, an event that profoundly impacted American public perception of the war and raised critical questions about military conduct and responsibility.