Gums,
You followed orders to the letter....doctrine said you hit the marked target and no inniocents got hurt.
One of my "Bad Orders" received was an occasion I was told to turn my Door Gunners loose on anyone outside the perimeter of a hilltop radio relay site.
I confirmed the Order by obtaining the Initials of the Officer issuing the Order.
We flew circles around the perimeter working our way down the mountain with each revolution....and the only people we saw were Buddhist Monks in their Robes and a Pagoda type building with a wooden water line running to it.
I reported that to the TOC that was issuing the Orders....and they repeated that it was an official Free Fire Zone and that there had been some Recon Troops surveilling the Hilltop Defensive Positions that morning,
They confirmed the "Light Them Up Order" and I acknowledged that.....and we fired up a few thousand rounds of 7.62 on a rather large Boulder about Five Hundred Meters down the mountain from the Pagoda.
My Gunners got to shoot....throw smoke grenades....and generally have a good time.
I reported I could not confirm any Enemy Casualties....the TOC was happy....I was happy...the Crew were happy....and the military aged male indigenous persons wearing the Robes were happy.
The Gunner got the dirty end of the stick....he had to clean three M-60's....as we had a Ramp Gun that day plus the standard side door guns.