You’ve made it to your final stop: the Sheboygan Hmong Memorial, standing quietly but powerfully here in Deland Park. Picture it-if you close your eyes for a moment, you might almost hear the whispers of old stories carried on the Lake Michigan breeze. This memorial holds 24 panels, each dedicated to everyday people who became heroes: the Hmong Secret Guerrilla Unit Army. From 1961 to 1975, these brave souls fought for the United States in the Secret War-a war so secret that the US didn’t even admit it happened until almost 25 years later!
When the war was over and communism took hold in Laos, many Hmong had to flee. Sheboygan was among the very first places in America to welcome them, opening its doors to thousands starting in 1976. A city with heart-and, apparently, a taste for egg rolls. Over time, perseverance triumphed: in 2004, the US finally granted refugee status to about 15,000 more Hmong who’d been waiting in camps. The memorial was dedicated in 2006, vandalized in 2008, but came back stronger with a beautiful green and white pang dao centerpiece in 2010. Take a moment here-not just to remember, but to be inspired by courage and community that crosses oceans.
