This essay critiques the handling of two cases the US military and the Supreme Court: US vs. Lt. William Calley and Capt. Ernest Medina in the civilian massacre at My Lai 4 during the Vietnam War and Parker, Warden, et al vs. Capt. Howard Levy in disobeying a direct order during the same war is discussed. It attempts to assert the uncompromising principles that bind a military unit together: command responsibility, obeying of orders within reason and the duty to protect non-combatants from unnecessary use of force or suffering. It also asserts that, in light of this, the punishments should have been more severe for those up the chain of command in the first case; the punishment was just in the second case in spite of ethical issues, as military justice did not take disobedience lightly under any circumstances.
