Vang Pao Giving a Speech

The Lao-Hmong American War Memorial Monument was unveiled in December 2005 in Fresno, California, in a grand opening ceremony attended by Mayor Alan Autry along with former general Vang Pao of the former Royal Lao Army, as well as scores of Lao and Hmong-American veterans who gathered in Fresno’s Courthouse Park.

Laotian Amrican Celebrating          Lao Hmong War Memorial,               Fresno, California

General Vang Pao, leader of the Hmong community in the U.S., talks to VOA about
the efforts to have the memorial erected as
a tribute to the Lao and Hmong veterans who were under his command, adding, “This is a significant event for us. We are very proud
and honored to have this monument done
in our name. We were the ones who fought alongside the American soldiers against
Vietnam Communist during the Vietnam War.”

Mayor Alan Autry, VangPao and                Guests

He indicated that it took almost three whole years to complete the monument, due to its size and the process involved. Made of marble and bronze, the life-size memorial is about sixteen-foot tall and weights fourteen tons. The monument depicts heroic Hmong and Lao veterans coming to the aid of a downed American flyer in Laos during the Vietnam War era.

Listen to audio report for more details.