Lao, Hmong Veterans Honored By U.S. Congressman Jim Costa at Arlington, Vietnam War Memorial

WASHINGTON - May 26, 2019 - PRLog -- The following is the statement issued and delivered by U.S. Congressman Jim Costa (D - Fresno, California ), at national ceremonies held in Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Virginia, to honor Lao and Hmong-American veterans and their U.S. military and clandestine advisors. The veterans memorial ceremonies were held at Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam War Memorial, and the U.S. Congress on May 14-15, 2019:

U.S. Congressman Jim Costa
Statement at the Lao Veterans of America and
U.S. Army "Old Guard"Wreath Laying Ceremony
to Honor Lao and Hmong Veterans and their
U.S. Military and Clandestine Advisors
of the Vietnam War in Laos
at the Lao Veterans of America Monument
Arlington National Cemetery
"Laos Memorial"
and Vietnam War Memorial
May 14-15, 2019

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Honored Guests, Veterans, Ladies and Gentleman:I am honored to join all of you today I am pleased to see the Lao and Hmong veterans and families gathered here, from California, and from across the United States, along with the US military veterans of the Vietnam War in Laos, as well as those currently serving in our American military, and the U.S. Army's "Old Guard" honor guard, who will present colors today and help us in the ceremonial laying of the wreath along with the U.S. Army wreath bearer and bugler.

Thank you for organizing this very special Lao and Hmong veterans memorial ceremony to seek to recognize and honor the unique role of minority veterans, including Asian-Americans and African-Americans in service to freedom's cause during the Vietnam War in Laos. I especially wish to recognize and thank the National President of the Lao Veterans of America, from Fresno, California, Major Cheurchai Vang and his colleague Warren Vang, two Hmong veterans who served in the U.S. Secret Army in Laos, who are from my Congressional District. I also want to thank Roger Whitfield, a disabled Vietnam Veteran and Vice Chairman of the National Association of Black Veterans (NABVETS) along with Major General Victor Hugo, of the U.S. Special Forces Association and Philip Smith, National Liaison and Washington, D.C. Director, for the Lao Veterans of America, and many others of you for your leadership and participation in today's veterans memorial and wreath laying ceremony.It is important to appreciate and remember the sacrifices of America's Vietnam Veterans who served in the Laos theater at the national level here in Arlington National Cemetery and Washington, D.C.  As a Member of Congress, I sincerely appreciate your important and good efforts  in the community.

You, and your leadership with the community have helped to make this event a great success over many years and have helped in the passage of the Lao "Hmong Veterans Service Recognition Act" last year. This historic bill, which I was pleased to work with many of you to draft and introduce in Congress, has now become law and I am looking forward to successfully and honorably implementing it with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), so that the Lao Hmong veterans can be rightfully honored with burials at National Cemeteries administered by the VA.

I understand that you are gathered in Arlington to commemorate and highlight the  22^nd anniversary of the dedication of the "Laos Memorial" monument in Arlington National Cemetery honoring the Lao and Hmong veterans, and their American advisors, including African – American veterans, who served in Laos and Indochina during the Vietnam War.  Because of the vision and efforts of many of you in the Fresno- based Lao Veterans of America, and the Hmong and Lao community from the Central Valley, including many from the U.S. Congressional district that I represent in the House of Representatives, the establishment of the Lao Veterans of America's "Laos Memorial" occurred on May 14-15, 1997, here in Arlington National Cemetery.  It is the first and only national monument in Arlington and Washington,D.C., dedicated to the Lao and Hmong veterans, their refugee families, and their American advisors.

We also seek today to remember the tragic and somber anniversary of the fall of the Kingdom of Laos, and Long Tieng (Long Cheng ), on May 14-15, 1975, to invading Soviet- backed North Vietnamese Army and Communist Pathet Lao forces.I appreciate you inviting me today to this veterans' memorial and wreath laying ceremony with other Members of Congress and former U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), CIA and retired State Department officials who served during the Vietnam War.  This year, and in previous years, you have been honored with their participation, and statements they provided.

Thank you for organizing this simple inspiring ceremony to honor the Lao and Hmong veterans, their refugee families and their American advisors who together fought, suffered, and served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War to combat the Russian and Soviet communist - backed North Vietnamese invasion of the Kingdom of Laos .  I appreciate your important efforts to highlight and honor the crucial role of the U.S. Special Forces, CIA, Air America, and other US military and clandestine services in these ceremonies, who served jointly with the Lao and Hmong veterans, and allied forces, during the conflict, in defense of the Royal Kingdom of Laos.Again, thank you for your your service and sacrifce in assisting the United States during the Vietnam War in Laos.

To our veterans, I salute and honor you.

Thank you.

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