III
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 406
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
OCTOBER 15, 2002
Received
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Honoring and commending the Lao Veterans of America,
Laotian and Hmong veterans of the Vietnam War, and
their families, for their historic contributions to the
United States.
Whereas one of the largest clandestine operations in United
States military history was conducted in Laos during the
Vietnam War;
Whereas the Central Intelligence Agency and the United
States Armed Forces recruited, organized, trained, and
assisted Laotian and Hmong guerrilla units and conven-
tional forces, including ethnic lowland Lao and highland
HCON 406 RDS
Laotians composed of Hmong, Khmu, Mien, Yao, Lahu,
and other diverse tribal and nontribal ethnic groups,
from 1960 through 1975 to combat the North Viet-
namese Army and Communist Pathet Lao forces;
Whereas Laotian and Hmong special forces who served in the
United States sponsored ‘‘Secret Army’’ courageously
saved numerous American pilots and aircrews who were
shot down over Laos or North Vietnam and interdicted
and helped to destroy many enemy units and convoys in-
tended to engage United States military forces in combat;
Whereas Laotian and Hmong special forces served in key
roles with air force elements of the United States Air
Force, United States Navy carrier-based air units,
United States Army heliborne units, and the Central In-
telligence Agency’s ‘‘Air America’’ in distinguished roles
such as T–28 fighter pilots, ‘‘Raven’’ spotter co-pilots,
Forward Air Guides, and mobile group rescue and com-
bat reconnaissance units;
Whereas Laotian and Hmong special forces, including highly
decorated group mobile units, served in daring and coura-
geous heliborne and airborne combat operations in sup-
port of joint United States and Royal Lao Army military
operations in Laos and Vietnam, including interdiction of
enemy troop movements and supply convoys using the Ho
Chi Minh Trail;
Whereas Laotian and Hmong special forces guarded one of
the most highly sensitive United States intelligence and
electronic targeting sites in all of Southeast Asia during
the Vietnam War, LIMA Site 85, which permitted the
United States Air Force and Navy to conduct the all-
weather and night bombing of enemy targets in North
Vietnam;
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Whereas in 1995, a historic Lao Veterans of America cere-
mony was held at the airbase and headquarters of the
144th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard in Fres-
no, California, along with a memorial service and over-
flights of T–28 fighter aircraft to honor the Laotian and
Hmong veterans, their American advisers, and the Lao
Veterans of America and other veterans organizations;
Whereas in 1997, long overdue national recognition and
honor was finally bestowed upon the Lao Veterans of
America and thousands of Laotian and Hmong veterans
and their American advisers at the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial in the District of Columbia and at Arlington
National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, by Members of
the Congress and representatives of the United States in-
telligence, military, and diplomatic communities;
Whereas in 1997, a monument was dedicated at Arlington
National Cemetery by the Lao Veterans of America to
honor the Laotian and Hmong veterans and their Amer-
ican advisers who served during the Vietnam War; and
Whereas in 2000, thousands of additional Lao and Hmong
veterans were again honored, after a veterans memorial
service and parade lead by the Lao Veterans of America
that progressed from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial,
past the White House, and down Pennsylvania Avenue to
the United States Capitol, where a national commemora-
tive service was held: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress honors and commends the Lao
Veterans of America, Laotian and Hmong veterans of the
Vietnam War who served with or assisted the United
States Armed Forces, and the families of these Laotian
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and Hmong veterans, for their historic contributions to
the United States.
Passed the House of Representatives October 10,
2002.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.