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How did the 2nd Platoon of Charlie Company participate in the My Lai Massacre?

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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.

During the My Lai Massacre on March 16, 1968, the 2nd Platoon of Charlie Company participated in the indiscriminate killing of Vietnamese civilians. After landing at the site shortly before 8:00 am, the platoon moved north from the landing zone and killed dozens of people.1

This action was part of a broader operation in which Charlie Company, acting under rules of engagement that treated all civilians in the area as enemy combatants, engaged in widespread atrocities. While the 1st Platoon led by William Calley moved east through the hamlet and the 3rd Platoon followed to destroy buildings and shoot survivors, the 2nd Platoon contributed to the total death toll of approximately 500 civilians. These events were later the subject of intense criminal investigation and court-martial proceedings, which revealed a systemic failure to report or prevent the unlawful killings.213