Today marks a very special and historical day in Hmong history in America and to those in Wisconsin. May 14th is remembered by many as the day the last of the Hmong-Lao soldiers and their families were evacuated from Laos to Thailand by the US government to avoid persecution during the Secret War.
Today, Governor Tony Evers signed the Wisconsin Act 31 to proclaim May 14 as Hmong-Lao Veterans Day in the state of Wisconsin. This was something that has been in the works for quite some time and today, that is a dream come true for many Hmong-Lao Veterans.
Participating in the proclamation which was held at the state capitol in Madison, WI were many WI natives who were former soldiers during the war. They can be seen in the pictures above in uniform. This marks a very special day in which these Hmong men and their families and the generations after them can be reminded of the sacrifices they gave during the war.