Vietnam after 50 years: Ling Wong, a first refugee in Minnesota in Minnesota.

Minnesota was built by immigrants who sang the state with diversity and innovation. One of these groups is Humong community.

Minnesota is home to the country’s largest Humung resident, and everything has started nearly 50 years ago when The Vietnam War ended with the fall of Sigon.

After months of autumn, Ling Wong fled his home in Laos after months of work as a military officer in the armed forces in Lao during Secret warA secret process where The CIA has recruited and trained thousands of Humung men To fight on behalf of the United States

“The tasks flew into different parts of Laos, it flew into the American military operative, translated to them, spoke to the forces on the ground and transferred them to the American forces,” Wong said. “I was traveling with them so that they could deport it to the base or headquarters and invite support.”

Wong served for 10 years, until the bitter end was inevitable. He knew that he was no longer safe for him to stay.

“They called us traitors, so they don’t love us,” he said. “It was so messy that we had no time to think about it other than how to survive.”

He and his family fled on a C-130 charging aircraft that the Americans sent to help evacuate the refugees.

“Only the clothes are on our back. There was nothing that we could bring with us,” he said.

They flew to Thailand, where they will remain for the next nine months. Then, the news came from the shepherd.

“There was a lot of uncertainty, and what I would face in a new land,” Wong said.

He arrived at Minypolis Saint. Paul International Airport, in bitter cold, on February 7, 1976.

“I was having difficulty hunting my breath because it was very cold, and we did not use this type of cold in our country of origin,” he said.

Wong is often cold. He says that his largest barriers in the beginning were language and culture.

“Initially, we faced some resentment of society as well, believing that here we are taking services,” he said.

However, Wong still feels the need to help others just like him. He made his goal to improve the lives of other people who will follow his footsteps.

“I managed to communicate and translate for people, so I will be busy day and night,” he said. “We will be in the hospital, the clinic, at the airport.”

Wong will spend years working in refugee programs with Lutheran and the state, which helps people find jobs and work with employers to create these jobs.

It also calls for political changes in supporting refugees, all while traveling through Minnesota, and eventually throughout the country, to destroy the barriers and educate others on the Humung people.

These days, Wong has many commercial buildings throughout the twin cities, and its scenes have been set to build more housing at reasonable prices for all the families of Minnesota.

“I don’t think I will retire at all. I think I will continue to defend our society, work and contribute to our society, as well as society as a whole,” he said.

Wong is a humble servant, thanking forever for the new land, and its members who accepted it.

“Minnesota has been good for me. The atmosphere is always cold, but people in Minnesota are warm hearts,” he said. “We know that this is where we belong now, but we still have part of our heart on the other side of the world we know we belong to there too.”

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Editor’s note: Dang He and his family were the first immigrant from Humong to come to Minnesota in November 1975, According to the historical association of Minnesota. The LENG Wong family came as the first refugee in HMONG in February 1976, according to the American HMONG partnership.

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This story is part of Pauline Lu DocumentaryVietnam after 50 years: Thinking about a war that changed Minnesota“

Join WCCO on Wednesday, May 7, at 5 pm to conduct a special presentation at the Concordia College in Saint -Paul – hosted by the Hummung Studies Center:

• Benc Education Center (beet)
• 1282 Concordia Avenue, St. Paul, Mn 55104
• The attendees are encouraged to stand in LOT A, Carroll Street or Syndicate Street

Watch the full documentary below, or On YouTube channel.