The Hmong Minnesota Veterans of the Secret War Preservation Project
This Preservation Project is a humanitarian effort: to preserve, document, and record the last surviving stories of Hmong veterans and their widows from the CIA-backed clandestine paramilitary operation in Laos from 1961-1975. This was known as the Secret War, a part of the Vietnam War. Our history has been part of Minnesota’s story since 1975. An estimated 4,500 Hmong veterans and widows live in Minnesota (2004). Only a few of their personal experiences are documented for research purposes, general public use, or family collections. The Project will gather, preserve, and share the legacies of about 30 individuals; enriching the historical record and Hmong identity.
These veterans, widows, and orphans took part of this Project to share and preserve their stories, and twenty-one (21) stories have been transcribed into English and are available at the SGU office for research and documentation purposes.
Project duration: June 2022-December 2023
Mr. Vang Leng
Captain, SGU Veteran
Mr. Vang Xang
Lt., SGU Veteran
Ms. True Vang
Nurse, SGU Veteran
Mr. Neng Xiong
Lt., SGU Veteran
Mr. Zong Lor Thao
Soldier, SGU Veteran
Mr. Choua Tong Yang
2nd Lt., SGU Veteran
Mrs. Kia Cha
Wife of a SGU Veteran
Mr. Wa Joe Vu
1st Lt., SGU Veteran
Mr. Hlao Lee
Orphan of the Secret War
Mrs. Neng Moua
Nurse, SGU Veteran
Mrs. May Yang
Wife of Head Principle Vang Chia
Mr. Steve Her
Orphan of the Secret War
Mr. Leefong Yang
Sergeant, SGU Veteran
Mr. Nhia Vue Chue
Military Medic, SGU Veteran
Mr. Yia Xiong
Captain, SGU Veteran
Mr. Chong Neng Vang Chong Geu
Major, SGU Veteran
Mr. Toulong Yang
Colonel, SGU Veteran
Rev. Gia Tou Lee
Major, SGU Veteran
Mrs. May Bao Thao
Widow of the Secret War
Mr. Her Paul Yang
Sergeant, SGU Veteran
Dr. Moua Sao
Major, SGU Veteran
Mr. Youa Ying Vang
1st Lt., SGU Veteran
Mr. Dan Williams
Chief Mechanic, Air America
The recordings of these individual stories and their English transcriptions are available at the SGU office and on our YouTube Channel. Or please click their images above to go to their stories. To request for their stories, please send an inquiry to our email at sguminnesota@gmail.com.
In June of 2022, SGU Organization was a recipient of a grant from The MN Humanities Center to perform this Preservation Project. SGU promoted the Project to community for them to come share their stories.
On Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 2023, SGU Organization screened a documentary film featuring 7 recorded stories and a photo gallery of the participants. About 100 people attended the event.
Project personnel
________________________________
Noah Vang, Project Manager
Neng Xiong, Project Assistant
Mitch Lee, Technical Director and Editor
Shia Yang, Exhibit Curator
Julie Yang, Transcriber
Kao Kia Yang, Transcriber
Jane Kretzmann, Consultant
Maikao Vue, Consultant
Laura Adams, MN Humanities Center
Casey DeMarais, MN Humanities Center
Supervised by the SGU Board of Directors
Funders
"This work is funded in part by the Minnesota Humanities Center with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008."
