Forgotten War Heroes
The war in Vietnam was a war that the Government of the United States wanted to keep a secret. The Secret war started during the Eisenhower presidency. Many people didn't realized this due to the lack of government information. Also, this was supposedly to be a quick, SECRET WAR. During the Vietnam War, many Hmongs (10,000 to be exact) were recruited by the US government for the special forces teams. Due to their speed, and knowledge of the terrain, The Special Forces Team had only one mission at first, TO RESCUE DOWNED AMERICAN PILOTS near the Northern border of Laos. Through Kennedy presidency, Johnson, and the Nixon years, the War wasn't going the way the US Government planned it to be, Quick and Secretly.
With unmarked planes, the American CIA flew aircraft's with no US logo on. With this, they went in and out posing as Air America, a cargo company. Soon after the war started, Hmong men were recruited by the CIA. The CIA supplied the training, money, and arms. The Hmongs, led by General Vang Pao, had the job of cutting of the Vietnamese Ho Chi Mihn Trail. The Hmong soldiers were able to block a major path of the trail in Northern Laos, for about ten years. When their strong hold was captured, the Hmongs were forced to pulled back. Hmong soldiers fought aside with US army soldiers until the last US plane flew out. US had pulled out all their forces out of Laos, and Vietnam. The Hmong were left to be persecuted by the new communists rule.
Many Hmongs fear the communist and fled to neighboring country, Thailand for refuge. Others hid in the thick woods and on Phou Bia Mountain. During the course of war, many Hmong lives were sacrificed for our entry to the US. Many of the younger generation don't know the reason why they are able to come to the US. All they know is that we went to Thailand and came to the US. The truth is that, OUR FORGOTTEN Hmong Soldiers paid our way to the US with their lives.
These are some pictures showing some of the many Hmong soldiers who fought in the Secret War.
Cov tub tsav dav hlau tua rog uas tau ncaim peb lawm. Pib sabxis rau sablaug: Lis
Lwm, Vaj Xwm, Vaj Ntaub, Nyiaj Thoj, Lauj Neeb, Vaj Cheeb, thiab Muas Teeb. (Hmong airplane pilots who gave their lives. From right to
left: Lee Lou, Vang Sue, Vang Dao, Nhia Thao, Lor Neng, Vang Cheng, and Moua
Teng.)
Tub dav hlau kooj tshuab. Pib sabxis rau sablaug: Vaj Khab, Vaj Npis, Vaj Txoov, thiab tus
Xibfwb. (Helicopter pilots. From
right to left: Vang Khang, Vang Bee, Vang Chong, and their Trainer.
Dav hlau tua rog, tus tsav yog Vaj
Npis. (Vang
Bee, an airplane pilot.)
Lub tshav dav hlau tua rog Looj Ceeb. (Long Cheng
Airport.)
Lub cuajluaj uas yawg hlob Nkias Tub thiab
cov tub rog yuav tua mus rau sab roob Hoovnoom. (A rocket launcher which Tou
Gias, and
Hmong soldiers are going to use to fire to Hong Non Mountain.)
Huabtais thiab Hlob Vaj Pov tuaj tsa thawj tubrog
nyob Looj Ceeb. Pib sabxis rau sablaug: Tub Looj Yaj, Suav Yaj, Kha Hub, Lis Xiv
Npooj, Vaj Thiav, and Neej Tswb Thoj. (The King of Laos, and General Vang Pao comes visit soldiers
at Long Cheng. From right to left: Tou Long Yang, Shoua Yang, Ka Hue, Lee See
Blong, Vang
Thai, and Neng Chu Thao.)
Rab phom 105 m/m nyob Phamthiv thiab yawg hlob
Nkias Tub Vaj. (A 105 m/m at Phathi, and Mr. Gias Tou Vang.)
Nroog Looj Ceeb thaum lub davhlau thauj neeg
tawm hnub kawg. (A picture of the last plane to depart out of Laos with Hmongs in Long
Cheng).
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