American veterans send 504 roses in remembrance of the victims of the My Lai massacre.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Billy Kelly is a veteran who was stationed in Duc Pho district ( Quang Ngai province ) in 1968-1969. The My Lai massacre has haunted this veteran for the rest of his life.

On the morning of March 16th, Quang Ngai province held a ceremony commemorating the 56th anniversary of the massacre of 504 innocent civilians by American soldiers (March 16, 1968 - March 16, 2023). The ceremony was held at the Son My Memorial Site. Leaders of Quang Ngai province and city, along with residents of Tinh Khe commune and many peace- loving friends from all over, attended the commemoration.

Recreating the scene of the people of Son My on the morning before the massacre occurred.

This photograph, taken by Ronald L. Haeberle, a Vietnam War veteran, depicts the scene of civilians in Son My being murdered by American soldiers, lying on a village road, on March 16, 1968.

Fifty-six years ago, in just one morning, American soldiers stormed My Lai hamlet, part of Son My village, and massacred numerous civilians. The massacre resulted in the deaths of 504 innocent people, including 182 women, 173 children, and 60 elderly people.

The memorial ceremony was also an opportunity for American veterans to come back and confront the truth, to confront the losses that bombs and bullets inflicted on the people of Son My. In the photo, American veteran Mike Boehm, wearing a traditional Vietnamese áo dài and khăn đóng (headscarf), offers incense before the Son My monument.

Billy Kelly is a veteran who served in Duc Pho district (Quang Ngai province) in 1968-1969. The My Lai massacre haunted him for the rest of his life. Afterward, Billy Kelly frequently visited Vietnam to attend the memorial service for the 504 civilians who perished in the massacre. In recent years, due to health reasons, he has been unable to travel to Vietnam for the service. Instead, he sent 504 roses in remembrance of the innocent civilians who lost their lives in the massacre. In the accompanying card, Billy Kelly wrote: "Never forget."

The Son My Memorial Site was built right where the massacre took place. It serves as a crime scene site, displaying images and artifacts, and features a memorial statue commemorating the 504 victims.

Mr. Nguyen Tri (84 years old) visits the Son My massacre memorial site. Three members of Mr. Tri's family were killed by American soldiers. That year, Mr. Tri, his wife, and their young child hid in a secret bunker, thus miraculously escaping death. "Dead bodies were scattered throughout the village, houses were burned, and cattle were slaughtered. My wife, children, and I hid in the bunker, so we were lucky to survive. It's a horrific memory," Mr. Tri shared.

The bas-relief commemorates the women and children who were victims of the Son My massacre. The bas-relief is 10 meters long and 1 meter high. It was created by the Vietnam Association of Visual Artists in 1988, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Son My massacre.

The memorial site is displaying a collection of photographs taken by former Vietnam War veteran Ronald L. Haeberle, documenting the horrific massacre. These images were published by Ronald L. Haeberle in Life magazine (USA) in 1969, shocking the world at the time.

Quoc Trieu - Dantri.com.vn

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