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Chia Xang Vaaj
Special Guerilla Unit
Years of Service: 1960-1975 (Official)
Chia Xang Vaaj
Chia Xang Vaaj is a Hmong Ex-Special Guerilla Unit Soldier, born on November 10, 1942 in the village of Hoinae in the province of Xieng Khouan, Laos. He was the third eldest son of Soobcheng Vang and Pay Kong with six brothers and seven sisters. Although his family members were farmers, Chia felt that education was far more important above all else. At the age of six, he began attending an Elementary School in Xieng Khouan where he completed first through third grade. It was during this time that Chia’s second oldest brother Lue, fell ill and his life came to an end. His parents were fearful that the same would happen to Chia so they withdrew him from school. For the next four years, Chia would stay with his parents doing household chores and helphis family with farming. Yet, he still yearned for knowledge from school. His grandfather intervened and convinced Chia’s father to let him go back to school. Chia began again in first grade at the age of 12. At the age of 16, he completed the sixth grade.
During his childhood, the country of France was in control of Cambodia and Laos, and was at war with Vietnam. Chia remembers the frequent bombings by the French near his village and the French troops stationed in the towns near his home. Chia’s father and grandfather were also involved in the war and were fighting along side the French. In 1954, the French lost the war and pulled out of Laos. The Laos army was left to defend the area. It was also during this time that Ho Chi Minh became the leader of North Vietnam. Because of this, there was a split in the country, the North and the South.
Similar to Korea, the North Vietnamese took on a communist economy while the South Vietnamese stayed a Republic. To prevent the North Vietnamese from taking South Vietnam and converting it into a communist country, the Laos army began drafting for the army and stationed soldiers on the Hồ Chí Minh trail. The Hồ Chí Minh Trail was a system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam (North to South), which also traveled through Laos and Cambodia. By placing soldiers on the trail, they would fight with the North Vietnamese who traveled along it and contain the spread of communism. The youngest soldiers drafted then were 12 year olds and only able to participate if they volunteered. Boys ages 14 and older were required to register for the army. Chia Xang was drafted on January 1, 1957 when he was 16 years of age. He and those who were drafted took a half-day walk to Xieng Khouang and flew out to Vientiane for a six-month training session. Since he had learned to read and write, Chia was trained to be a leader. He felt honored to be given this position and felt that he needed to protect his homeland. After completing his training in Vientiane, Chia was sent back and began his involvement in battle. Then in 1960, he was recruited and trained by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Because Chia knew the area well, he was trained as a special guerilla unit. Their functions were to provide intelligence, protect the radar used by the U.S., guard the Hồ Chí Minh Trail, and rescue fallen U.S. pilots. Since the North Vietnamese continuously used the Hồ Chí Minh Trail, Chia had to always be on guard and was in constant battle with the enemy.
There are three significant battles that occurred during Chia’s service from 1960-1975. He remembers the first time when they came into contact with the enemy. Their unit was stationed in a village named Patang. The commanding officer of that unit told Chia and his older cousin to scout the area for nearby enemies. They encountered about 500 North Vietnamese troops. Using the forest to their advantage, they remained unseen and managed to take out eight of the soldiers. They returned to their unit but were sent out again, this time they managed to take out ten more of the enemy. However, the enemy became aware of their location and gave chase. Both Chia and his cousin made it safely back to their unit. This battle continued for another two days. Low on ammunition and being outnumbered, they were pushed out, and the North Vietnamese overtook the area. Luckily, Chia’s unit suffered no casualties.
In 1963, Chia was stationed in the village of Thaleynoy. Several scouts were sent out and before long, troops came back reporting that the enemy was closing in. Within five minutes into the battle and there had already been 28 casualties. This battle became a back and forth progression. Chia’s unit would start overwhelming the enemy, forcing the enemy to retreat, then, the enemy would begin to overwhelm them and they would retreat back to the start. This would continue for days until Chia’s unit overcame the enemy and pushed them out of the area.
In January 1967, Chia was stationed in the capital city of Laos, Luang Prabang, to protect the city, the airport, and the King’s palace from missile attacks conducted by North Vietnamese. While also in charge of 500 troops, this was where Chia had his final battle in 1974. Because of the mountainous terrain in Luang Prabang, the combat was strictly guerilla warfare. As anywhere else, his focus was to contain communism and defeat any opposing units that came across his path. The Hmong, with limited amount of U.S. support, made use of T28 Jet Fighters and helicopters for aerial combat. Chia recalled seeing many downed pilots. He specifically remembers rescuing two American pilots, bringing them to safety, and protecting them from enemy gunfire until rescue helicopters were able to come retrieve them.
At the beginning of 1973, the U.S had begun pulling their troops out of Vietnam and was completely out by 1975. The Hmong were left fighting the communist North Vietnamese without any support from the U.S. It was during this time that Chia witnessed many casualties: his friends, unit members, and many civilians. Many people were sent out to re-education camp by the North Vietnamese and never to be seen again. Some of the Hmong are still in hiding, in hopes of receiving help from the U.S.
May 18, 1975, Chia took his family and crossed over to Thailand where he stayed in a refugee camp for the next 5 years. In 1979, his wife Yer Kong was sponsored by a Lutheran Church in Minnesota and was brought the U.S. Chia’s younger brother Abraham Vaaj was already residing in the States and sponsored Chia. In March of 1980, Chia came to the United States and settled in Santa Ana, California. Here, he began taking lessons in ESL classes and worked in an Asian grocery store for two years in stock and sale. Chia and Yer were reunited in 1982 when she and the family moved from Minnesota to California.
The conflict Chia Xang was involved in has become known today as the Secret War of Vietnam. Not many people knew about this conflict. The CIA secretly recruited and trained the Hmong people because Laos had agreed to stay neutral. The Hmong people, including Chia Xang Vaaj, played a significant part in the Vietnam War and the country’s efforts to stop the spread of communism. Recently, the U.S recognized and acknowledged the veterans of the Secret War. Chia earned his veteran’s status in 2013. During his service, he was ranked Second Lieutenant (1963), First Lieutenant (1966), Captain (1970), Major (1973), Lieutenant Colonel (1975), and Colonel (End of War) and has received medals such as the Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Silver Star. He was also honored at the 50 years celebration in recognition of the Secret War Veterans.
Chia Xang Vaaj is a hard-working, determined man, who believes that “when you start something, you finish it”. His actions and beliefs reflect off his extensive family and he is viewed as a hero to many of the Hmong people, the Americans who have come to know him, his family, and his comrades.