▁July ▁to ▁be ▁his ▁running ▁mate ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁President ial ▁election , ▁but ▁R ivers ▁d ared ▁not ▁risk ▁losing ▁his ▁chair mans hip ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁Ar med ▁Services ▁Committee ▁and ▁decl ined ▁the ▁offer . ▁ ▁Vietnam ▁War , ▁and ▁the ▁My ▁La i ▁Mass acre ▁cover - up ▁R ivers ▁was ▁initially ▁ske pt ical ▁of ▁America ' s ▁es cal ation ▁of ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War ▁and ▁the ▁sending ▁of ▁combat ▁troops ▁to ▁Vietnam , ▁but ▁once ▁the ▁war ▁was ▁comm enced , ▁he ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁strong est ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁He ▁enjoyed ▁referring ▁to ▁himself ▁as ▁" The ▁Grand d addy ▁of ▁the ▁War ▁Haw ks ." ▁He ▁ur ged ▁the ▁President ▁to ▁use ▁nuclear ▁weapons ▁against ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁and ▁to ▁in va de ▁and ▁occup y ▁H ano i . ▁ ▁During ▁an ▁investigation ▁of ▁the ▁My ▁La i ▁Mass acre , ▁R ivers ▁critic ized ▁Army ▁hel ic opter ▁pilot ▁C W 2 ▁( l ater ▁Major ) ▁Hugh ▁Thompson , ▁Jr . ▁for ▁giving ▁the ▁order ▁to ▁his ▁men ▁to ▁fire ▁upon ▁American ▁soldiers ▁at ▁My ▁La i ▁if ▁they ▁continued ▁to ▁shoot ▁un ar med ▁Vietnam ese ▁civ ili ans , ▁calling ▁him ▁a ▁tra itor ▁and ▁saying ▁he ▁should ▁be ▁pro sec uted . ▁R ivers ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁believe ▁that ▁American ▁soldiers ▁would ▁do ▁such ▁a ▁thing ▁and ▁public ly ▁expressed ▁doubt ▁that ▁any ▁mass acre ▁ever ▁happened . ▁He