the Australian who became the (first? thirty-seventh?) person to face a war crimes trial...

Wow. I read a post over on headsup the blog about what newspapers correct and what they don't, dealing with this claim, always made in passing

David Hicks, the Australian who became the first person to face a U.S. war crimes trial since World War II,

As fev points out,

One is tempted to say something like "Rusty Calley?" But according to the New York Times (writing about a trial from the Panama invasion), that doesn't narrow it down much: "From 1965 to 1973, there were 241 cases, not including My Lai, that involved allegations of various war crimes against United States soldiers. Of those, 36 cases were brought to a court-martial." So we can't even say "first war crimes trial since World War II that didn't produce an alarmingly weird Top 40 song."*

* "The Battle Hymn of Lt. Calley," by C Company featuring Terry Nelson. No. 1 that week: "Joy to the World" (Three Dog Night). Also cracking the Top 40 for the first time: "Brown Sugar." Making big moves up the charts: "Love Her Madly," "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo," "Chick-a-Boom (Don't Ya Jes' Love It)." HEADSUP-L feels very old right now, thanks.

So I got curious, and Googled that precise phrase (the first person to face a U.S. war crimes trial since World War II) and there are hundreds of hits - all referring to Hicks.

You gotta wonder who first put that line out, and why.