Christopher Levesque

And they take significant casualties despite not being in regular combat, not facing ambushes or anything like that. So by the time we get to the middle of March, Charlie Company has lost about half of its strength. Lieutenant William Calley's 1st Platoon has lost 27 of its 45 men. Wow. So it's a much smaller fighting force that has faced an enemy that they can't come to grips with.

And they take significant casualties despite not being in regular combat, not facing ambushes or anything like that. So by the time we get to the middle of March, Charlie Company has lost about half of its strength. Lieutenant William Calley's 1st Platoon has lost 27 of its 45 men. Wow. So it's a much smaller fighting force that has faced an enemy that they can't come to grips with.

And they take significant casualties despite not being in regular combat, not facing ambushes or anything like that. So by the time we get to the middle of March, Charlie Company has lost about half of its strength. Lieutenant William Calley's 1st Platoon has lost 27 of its 45 men. Wow. So it's a much smaller fighting force that has faced an enemy that they can't come to grips with.

And at the same time, as I mentioned before, they don't have the experience of war seasons troops who had been to Vietnam. And the reason that they don't have that is that during their training in Hawaii, they found that many of those more experienced troops had been to Vietnam too recently to be sent back. And that's why they were pulled out of the unit.

And at the same time, as I mentioned before, they don't have the experience of war seasons troops who had been to Vietnam. And the reason that they don't have that is that during their training in Hawaii, they found that many of those more experienced troops had been to Vietnam too recently to be sent back. And that's why they were pulled out of the unit.

And at the same time, as I mentioned before, they don't have the experience of war seasons troops who had been to Vietnam. And the reason that they don't have that is that during their training in Hawaii, they found that many of those more experienced troops had been to Vietnam too recently to be sent back. And that's why they were pulled out of the unit.

And Captain Medina, one of the things that he testified to later was that he had lost 70% of his company's strength during that and had to deal with the issue of replacements that were not as experienced.

And Captain Medina, one of the things that he testified to later was that he had lost 70% of his company's strength during that and had to deal with the issue of replacements that were not as experienced.

And Captain Medina, one of the things that he testified to later was that he had lost 70% of his company's strength during that and had to deal with the issue of replacements that were not as experienced.

Right. And so there are two types of scenarios here. The assault on My Lai was just what it sounds like. They're supposed to assault a village that has a Viet Cong force in it. But their typical pattern up to that was patrols. And frequently what they would say is that they felt like they were being sent to wander around in the jungle waiting to be shot at. This is a pattern that developed.

Right. And so there are two types of scenarios here. The assault on My Lai was just what it sounds like. They're supposed to assault a village that has a Viet Cong force in it. But their typical pattern up to that was patrols. And frequently what they would say is that they felt like they were being sent to wander around in the jungle waiting to be shot at. This is a pattern that developed.

Right. And so there are two types of scenarios here. The assault on My Lai was just what it sounds like. They're supposed to assault a village that has a Viet Cong force in it. But their typical pattern up to that was patrols. And frequently what they would say is that they felt like they were being sent to wander around in the jungle waiting to be shot at. This is a pattern that developed.

The idea was that American small units, platoons and companies would go out looking for the enemy and wait to be attacked, would then either assault the people who are attacking or settle into a position and then call for support from artillery or airstrikes. The idea was to draw the enemy out and then to punish them.

The idea was that American small units, platoons and companies would go out looking for the enemy and wait to be attacked, would then either assault the people who are attacking or settle into a position and then call for support from artillery or airstrikes. The idea was to draw the enemy out and then to punish them.

The idea was that American small units, platoons and companies would go out looking for the enemy and wait to be attacked, would then either assault the people who are attacking or settle into a position and then call for support from artillery or airstrikes. The idea was to draw the enemy out and then to punish them.

But from the point of view of the regular infantry soldier who's just been told to go out in patrol waiting to be shot at, that can have a pretty significant effect on their morale.

But from the point of view of the regular infantry soldier who's just been told to go out in patrol waiting to be shot at, that can have a pretty significant effect on their morale.

But from the point of view of the regular infantry soldier who's just been told to go out in patrol waiting to be shot at, that can have a pretty significant effect on their morale.

So Charlie Company had three infantry platoons. Each of those should have had 60 or 70 men in the platoon divided up into squads and then fire teams.

So Charlie Company had three infantry platoons. Each of those should have had 60 or 70 men in the platoon divided up into squads and then fire teams.