Captain Yang Fang was born on July 10, 1950 in Laos. He started his career as an air base operator in 1964. Captain Yang Fang quickly rose to serve with the Forward Air Guides (FAG) Team in 1968. From 1969 to 1975, Captain Yang Fang joined the Forward Air Control (FAC) operations, where he guided and flew many aircraft such as T-28, Cessna 0-1 (BirdDog), and Cessna 0-2 (SkyMaster). Captain Yang Fang’s code name was Lima 20A. He was well-known to all CIA pilots.

After the US withdrawal, Captain Yang Fang left Laos in October of 1975 to Nong Khai Refugee Camp, Thailand. In 1978, he and his family arrived in the United State of America. They settled in San Diego, CA. On US soil, Captain Yang Fang continued to serve the Hmong community and held multiple positions such as coordinate refugees adaption, and oversee community economic, social, and mental issues.

In early 2000, Captain Yang Fang and his family relocated  to the Twin Cities, Minnesota where he served with the National Defense Corp. In honor of his commitment, Captain Yang Fang was recognized as Colonel Yang Fang by the National Defense Corp of the USA.

Captain Yang Fang is currently residing in the state of Minnesota. Although he recently retired, he still has a deep passion to protect and serve his country. He is proud of all of his achievements and will continue to lead  and engage the families  to pursue their hopes and dreams. 

Source: Hmong and Lao Commemorative Statue, 2023.