John_W_Donaldson

John W. Donaldson

John W. Donaldson

U.S. Army general

John W. Donaldson (1924–2008) was a brigadier general in the United States Army. He served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Quick Facts Born, Died ...

On 2 June 1971, Donaldson was charged with the murder of six South Vietnamese civilians during operations in November 1968-January 1969 while flying in his helicopter over Quảng Ngãi Province. A colonel at the time of the alleged crimes, he was the first U.S. general charged with war crimes since General Jacob H. Smith in 1902 and the highest ranking American to be accused of war crimes during the Vietnam War.[1] The charges against Donaldson were dropped for lack of evidence.[2]

Donaldson died on August 13, 2008, at the age of 84.[3]

References

  1. [1]
    "1971 Command History Volume II" (PDF). United States Military Assistance Command Vietnam. p. J-21. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  2. [2]
    Uhl, Michael (2007). Vietnam Awakening: My Journey from Combat to the Citizens' Commission of Inquiry on U.S. War Crimes in Vietnam. McFarland. p. 229. ISBN 9780786482924.
  3. [3]
    "Memorial". Archived from the original on 2015-08-13. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
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