Oklahoma City — The State Senate recently honored a special group of veterans for their vital contributions to U.S. forces during the Vietnam War.

Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, welcomed the Hmong American Association of Oklahoma Inc. (HMAAO), including some of the surviving members of the Hmong Special Guerilla Unit (SGU), to the Capitol to share their story of patriotism.

Hmong combat soldiers served under the direction of the U.S. military and clandestine forces from 1961-1975 in the Secret War of Laos.

“Although they were not yet American citizens, these brave souls voluntarily fought alongside our troops, risking life and limb to combat the evil communist North Vietnam government,” Jett said.

“They were vital in the Secret War in Laos, providing intelligence and troops to one of the nation’s largest operations, rescuing American soldiers, and blocking North Vietnam from using the Ho Chi Minh Trail to South Vietnam. It’s estimated that without their help, American casualties would have most likely tripled. We owe the Hmong people our utmost gratitude, respect, and honor.”

The Hmong were recruited by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Secret War, and it’s estimated that more than 35,000 were killed.

On May 14, 1975, the CIA withdrew from Laos, and from then until 1979, the Hmong continued fighting but eventually had to flee to Thailand as they were victims of retaliation, murder, and genocide.

The U.S. government then provided the Hmong SGU veterans and their families with political asylum, refugee status, and citizenship because of their collaboration in the war.

HMAAO Public Relations Director and Laos refugee survivor, Chai Adam Lee, shared that without the Hmong’s involvement, the death toll for American soldiers would have been significantly higher.

“One of the veterans told me that without [the SGU] helping us and disrupting the Ho Chi Minh Trail, there would have been three times the casualties, which would have been 180,000 young Americans dying,” Lee said.

“While many of the young people in the United States whose parents and grandparents fought in South Vietnam, understand that without us they might not even have life because their grandparents might be dead. That is the sacrifice that we fought for America, and I believe we were the only chosen sons and daughters to fight with the Americans.”

Retired U.S. Army Col. Robert Sander honors debt to “Hmong people and … veterans”

Retired U.S. Army Col. Robert Sander, of Seiling, Oklahoma — who served in the Army for 25 years — has worked for many years to ensure the Hmong soldiers’ service and sacrifices are not forgotten.

In 2014, he published the “Invasion of Laos, 1971: Lam Son 719” about the secret war and Hmong’s contributions.

His life’s wish, and that of the surviving soldiers, is the U.S. government will recognize and support these brave veterans.

“The history of the Special Guerilla Units has been kept from the American public. It’s not taught in our public schools. It’s not understood by our general population. Since 2016, the Central Intelligence Agency has released over 20,000 documents that deal with the war in Laos. Many of those documents specifically address the Hmong and the battles the Hmong fought,” Sander said.

“They were horrific battles … all major efforts that the Hmong put forth for our freedom. It can conservatively be estimated by the CIA that the SGU tied up three North Vietnamese divisions and kept them from entering the war in South Vietnam. We have a debt to pay to the Hmong people and their veterans, and I hope we can find that recognition and the legislative momentum to do that. When that happens, my life will be complete.”

Jett joined the veterans and Col. Sander in urging Oklahomans to honor these heroes and welcome their families. He asked that Oklahomans not confuse them with the bad actors from Communist China, who have bought up thousands of acres of land around the state to start illegal marijuana businesses and other illicit enterprises.

“Today, the Hmong people are once again joining us in the modern day battle as Communist China infiltrates our local communities, buying up land for illicit drugs and other businesses,” Jett said.

“I urge Oklahomans to recognize that the Hmong people are our brothers and sisters and to distinguish them and other upstanding American Asian families from the communist criminals. We must be careful to differentiate between Oklahomans of Asian descent and Asian immigrants, who were and are our allies from the illegal communist Chinese operatives flooding into our state.”

Lee thanked the Legislature for the opportunity to share their stories and struggles of assimilating into America, having to learn a new language, culture, and their desperate desire to be supported by their fellow Oklahomans.

“We were the Americans’ best friends during the Vietnam War and now we’re here in America and still your best friends. We want the whole United States and the many citizens who don’t know who the Hmong people are to understand…the government didn’t expose that, didn’t tell that, or put in public or expose in the school system about who we are. Now many of us are being stereotyped and confused for other Asian countries. Unlike the Japanese, Korean, or Chinese we are very unique Asians because we don’t have a country to return to now and America is our country,” Lee said.

“We’re so blessed, so grateful to be here. We want to thank the government of the United States for accepting us and inviting us to move here. We want to be good citizens, we don’t have a place to go and now this is our home, and we want to make a big difference. We want to make an impact here, be taxpayers, be good citizens, do our civic duty, and help this great nation be the greatest nation on earth.”

May 15 was Hmong Special Guerilla Unit (SGU) Veterans Recognition Day in Oklahoma

As part of their day at the State Capitol, Jett presented a citation recognizing May 15 as Hmong Special Guerilla Unit (SGU) Veterans Recognition Day in Oklahoma. Many other states also recognize May 14 as Hmong American Day.

Jett posed with members of the Hmong American Association of Oklahoma Inc. (HMAAO), including some of the surviving members of the Hmong Special Guerilla Unit (SGU), and retired Army Col. Robert Sander at the Capitol for the presentation of a formal citation recognizing May 15 as the Hmong Special Guerilla Unit (SGU) Veterans Recognition Day.