On 16 March 1968 during the Vietnam war. Between 347 and 504 unarmed people were killed by U.S. Army soldiers. Victims included men, women, children, and infants. Some of the women were gang-raped and their bodies mutilated, as were children as young as 12.
Twenty-six soldiers were charged with criminal offenses, but only a Lieutenant was convicted. Found guilty of killing 22 villagers, he was originally given a life sentence, but served three-and-a-half years under house arrest.
Powell was charged with investigating a detailed letter by soldier Tom Glen, which backed up rumored allegations of the massacre. He wrote: "In direct refutation of this portrayal is the fact that relations between American soldiers and the Vietnamese people are excellent." Later, Powell's assessment would be described as whitewashing.
In May 2004, Powell said to television and radio host Larry King "I was in a unit that was responsible for My Lai. I got there after My Lai happened. So, in war, these sorts of horrible things happen every now and again, but they are still to be deplored."