Hastings Veterans Monument to include names of 'Secret War' soldiers
The memorial that bears both Hmong and American names side-by-side is reportedly the first in the nation. Hastings Veterans Monument in Hastings, Minnesota is the first memorial in the nation to bear both Hmong and American names side-by-side. The memorial was created in 1997 after the U.S. government did not officially acknowledge its role in the Secret War until 1997. Nearly 50 years later, people are now seeing those names, side by side. The free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms includes live streams of newscasts, exclusive programs, and Minnesota sports talk from Locked On Minnesota.
Published : 11 months ago by Sharon Yoo in
The memorial that bears both Hmong and American names side-by-side is reportedly the first in the nation.
"The United States government should have done this for us a long time ago, to educate the public but they did not do it," Yang Chee said. Yang is a community organizer who represents the Special Guerilla Unit soldiers who fought in the "Secret War" in Laos.
Bound by military secrecy, the U.S. did not officially acknowledge its role in the Secret War until 1997.
"It was called the Secret War because the whole world should not know that the U.S., the CIA established a secret war within the country of Laos," Yang explained. "We did that for two purposes. No. 1, to protect the sovereignty of Laos. Simultaneously, the SGUs were defending the United States' interest in Southeast Asia, primarily South Vietnam. And the war in Laos [was] kept as a secret, no one should know about it."
Until now nearly 50 years later, people like Yang are seeing those names, side by side. American, and Hmong in Hastings.
"It is to my knowledge -- it is the only memorial in the country to honor and to integrate the Hmong names, the SGUs with the Americans," Yang said. "This symbolizes our friendships, our profound connections during the secret war in Laos."
"It's not too late; I hope it will be more and more, there will be more SGU names coming to this memorial," he said.
"We're like brothers in arms again," Yang said. "During the war, during peace time and also in heaven."
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