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markodochartaigh

(4,068 posts)
19. Yes, look at William Callie,
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 12:07 AM
Saturday

William Laws Calley Jr. (June 8, 1943 – April 28, 2024) was a United States Army officer convicted by court-martial of the murder of 22 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai massacre on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War. Calley was released to house arrest under orders by President Richard Nixon three days after his conviction. The United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia granted him a new trial, but that ruling was overturned by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. His initial life sentence having been modified to a term of 20 years and then further reduced to ten, Calley ultimately served three years of house arrest for the murders.
Or Jacob Smith:
"'I want no prisoners. I wish you to kill and burn, the more you kill and burn the better it will please me. I want all persons killed who are capable of bearing arms in actual hostilities against the United States,' General Jacob H. Smith said.

Since it was a popular belief among the Americans serving in the Philippines that native males were born with bolos in their hands, Major Littleton "Tony" Waller asked, "I would like to know the limit of age to respect, sir."

"Ten years", Smith said.

"Persons of ten years and older are those designated as being capable of bearing arms?"

"Yes." Smith confirmed his instructions a second time."
In May 1902, Smith faced a court-martial for his orders, being tried not for murder or other war crimes, but for "conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline". The court-martial found Smith guilty and sentenced him "to be admonished by the reviewing authority."[31]

To ease the subsequent public outcry in America, Secretary of War Elihu Root recommended that Smith be retired. President Roosevelt accepted this recommendation, and ordered Smith's retirement from the Army, with no additional punishment.

Recommendations

13 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

It was an illegal order and the rank and file know it. Klarkashton Friday #1
I can't disagree. paleotn Friday #2
They have to stop worrying about getting some BS letters and start refusing to obey what they clearly know Liberal In Texas Friday #4
Don't hold your breath. These are between war military Klarkashton Friday #5
And now we know why the JAG Corp was decimated. No one left to go to for help when given illegal orders? Attilatheblond Saturday #48
There are still JAGs mahina Saturday #50
Yeah, but not nearly as many Attilatheblond Saturday #55
A letter doesn't "absolve" one of following an illegal order Prairie Gates Friday #16
Yes it is ridiculous. A letter from your CO doesn't cover you for committing murder. Irish_Dem Saturday #35
This Oldvet Saturday #49
Didn't I read they shithole gonna.. Lovie777 Friday #3
Trump already did. Klarkashton Friday #7
Being told "no, it really is okay to follow these orders" doesn't absolve one from RockRaven Friday #6
No way is maga congress going to do an investigation . Klarkashton Friday #8
Yes, look at William Callie, markodochartaigh Saturday #19
This is not rumor AverageOldGuy Friday #9
He is ramping up his brinksmanship. There will be a breaking point. usonian Saturday #26
Can you imagine, after all you've gone through to achieve flag rank. paleotn Saturday #34
That is the point. To humiliate and degrade the US military. Irish_Dem Saturday #36
In Nuremberg, Nazis who claimed they were just following orders Jarqui Friday #10
Nope canetoad Saturday #29
Maybe I did not express myself well Jarqui Saturday #31
It doesn't matter - we first need to get to the point where AdamGG Saturday #42
They hit another one a couple of hours ago. iemanja Friday #11
Oh no. America just murders now? BlueWaveNeverEnd Friday #13
That is nothing new Lbn2 Saturday #56
Welcome to DU LetMyPeopleVote 22 hrs ago #57
So is this the third boat o dead Venezuelans? n/t ReRe Saturday #20
I think so iemanja Saturday #21
Holy moley Mother of God. ReRe Saturday #23
Trump is incubating counter and surprise strikes all 4 corners of the Earth PufPuf23 Friday #12
No. ReRe Saturday #22
Not sure what you mean by "No". PufPuf23 Saturday #25
I'm sorry. ReRe Saturday #28
It's probable Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller AdamGG Saturday #43
How many letters do you think you'll need when they start ordering you to kill fellow Americans? Scalded Nun Friday #14
6 year Navy vet here.. Permanut Saturday #24
Too bad , aviators or drone pilots.... Bread and Circuses Friday #15
What else would one expect B.See Friday #17
Sooner or later, Chump will tell them to drop a nuke FakeNoose Friday #18
Honest question NJCher Saturday #27
Contact someone in congress. Be a whistleblower LeftInTX Saturday #30
UCMJ covers it. paleotn Saturday #32
And the people who have authority to enforce the law Kaleva Saturday #40
Now I am Codifer Saturday #41
It's not too late for a junta Queso Delicioso Saturday #33
Et tu Mblaze Saturday #37
Trump has and will continue to put people of conscience in difficult positions. surfered Saturday #38
I haven't heard any news of them possibly being charged Kaleva Saturday #39
Maybe tsf will blow up Elon's mega-yacht for transporting Ketamine. rubbersole Saturday #44
Unfortunately WmChris Saturday #45
How many has he ordered blown up? Three? Katinfl Saturday #46
Commanders don't have the authority to absolve their personnel of wrongdoing LogDog75 Saturday #47
think I read this on bluesky vapor2 Saturday #51
In the military, it all rolls downhill dlk Saturday #52
This wouldn't surprise me a bit Warpy Saturday #53
The majority of the military voted for fascism, leaders are hand picked tRump rump kissers, crimes against humanity will ImNotGod Saturday #54
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