Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month: On May 15, 1997, the Laos Memorial was dedicated in
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month: On May 15, 1997, the Laos Memorial was dedicated in Arlington National Cemetery.The Secret War in Laos raged for years during the Vietnam War. An army of Hmong soldiers led by General Vang Pao supported American airstrikes in Laos against the VietCong. For decades, the U.S. government officially denied that it had worked with Hmong and Lao soldiers during this time, but after intense pressure from the Hmong American community, politicians, and special ops veterans, in 1997 the Clinton Administration approved the memorial.The monument reads:Dedicated to:the U.S. Secret Armyin the Kingdom of Laos1961 - 1973In memory of the Hmong/Mong and Lao combatveterans and their American advisorswho served freedom’s causes inSoutheast Asia. Their patriotic valorand loyalty in the defense of liberty anddemocracy will never be forgotten.YOV (yuav) TSHUA TXOG NEJ MUS IB TXHISLAOS VETERANS OF AMERICAMay 15, 1997In the photo above, Bouala Chansombath of Oklahoma City, a veteran of the Secret War, offers a prayer at the memorial during a wreath-laying ceremony last week. -- source link
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