How did Captain Medina describe the My Lai operation to his superiors?

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A group of frightened Vietnamese women and children stand close together outdoors during the My Lai Massacre in the Vietnam War. — My Lai Massacre Vietnamese citizens photographed during the My Lai Massacre, March 16, 1968.

Following the massacre at My Lai on March 16, 1968, Captain Ernest Medina informed his superiors that scores of Viet Cong had been killed during the operation.1

This report was part of a broader effort to conceal the true nature of the events at My Lai. While the operation resulted in the deaths of as many as 500 Vietnamese civilians, official military reporting characterized the mission as a resounding success. Subsequent investigations, including the inquiry led by Lieutenant General William Peers, concluded that actions were taken or omitted at every command level to effectively conceal the unlawful killing of civilians from higher headquarters.12