Wang Chou Yang, age 76, of Fort Atkinson, WI, passed away peacefully on Monday June 13, 2022, at his home surrounded by his wife and children.
Wang Chou was born on August 24, 1945, in the Village of Phonxai, Louangphabang Province, Laos. He was the son of Toua Yang and Ia Chang Yang, stepson to Pang Koua Yang, brother to Tong Xeng Yang and Yia Yang, and stepbrother to Colonel Nhia Xou Yang, Youa Pao Yang, Lieutenant Colonel Boua Fue Yang, Mai Yang and Ying Yang all of whom precede him in death. He is survived by his stepbrother Chue Ge Yang and half-sister Ploua Yang Her.
In 1961 Wang Chou was recruited at the age of 16 by the United States and was sent to Thailand for military training to serve alongside the United States Army in the Secret War in Laos during the Vietnam War. He and other Southeast Asians, Americans, and their allies served, suffered, or sacrificed, in the Secret War in the years 1961 to 1975 in support of the armed forces of the United States, where at least 35,000 Hmong soldiers lost their lives protecting trapped, lost, or captured American soldiers and pilots in Laos.
During his military service, Wang Chou served as a Pararescuemen, being dropped behind enemy lines where he located and rescued numerous downed American pilots and injured American soldiers. He also served as a paramedic and military chaplain providing first aid to injured soldiers as well as administering last rites to the severely wounded. Wang Chou achieved the rank of Two Star Lieutenant and took tremendous pride in serving alongside the United States military. He established a tradition of military service within in his immediate family, which has resulted in two of his sons and two grandsons serving in the U.S. military, of which one son and one grandson are currently active.
On February 17, 1963, Wang Chou married Nao Thao and together they started a family. However, the withdrawal of the U.S. military from Southeast Asia at the conclusion of the Vietnam War placed U.S. allies at great personal risk. As a consequence, Wang Chou, his wife, and four young children (Choua, Chia, Solo and Kennedy) were forced to flee their homeland as refugees. They settled in Fort Atkinson, WI, on March 15, 1976, through the sponsorship of Trinity Lutheran Church of Fort Atkinson. Upon settling in the area, Wang Chou went to work at NASCO, Thomas Industries and later at Schweiger Industries in Jefferson. He ultimately retired from the Friskies Purina in Jefferson in 2010.
While in the U.S., Wang Chou and Nao’s family grew and they had five additional children (Malia, Nathalie, Amy, Elizabeth and Abraham). Wang Chou loved the outdoors and enjoyed fishing, hunting and gardening. He enjoyed spending time on his hobby farm and operating a booth at the Fort Atkinson Farmers Market until he was too ill to do so. He was an incredibly generous and compassionate individual and was always happy to provide a helping hand to anyone that was in need.
During his civilian life, Wang Chou remained active is supporting Hmong veterans through the U.S. National Defense Force Support Command Civil Military Reserve Corp, eventually rising to the rank of Brigadier General. In this role, he provided much needed social services and mental health support to Hmong veterans, as well as traveled across the country to perform military honors. Additionally, Wang Chou, along with assistance from Trinity Lutheran Church, either sponsored or helped find sponsors for ten of his relatives to come to the United States.
Wang Chou is survived by his wife Nao, daughter Choua (Lee) Her, son Chia Yang, son Solo (Mang) Yang, son Kennedy (Mai) Yang, daughter Malia Yang (Steve Glojek), daughter Nathalie (PorChoua) Xiong, daughter Amy Yang, daughter Elizabeth (Joe) Sallaz, and son Abraham Yang, as well as 10 grandsons, 9 granddaughters, and 2 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2022, at Jansen’s Banquet Hall in Fort Atkinson from 9:00 to 11:45 a.m. for morning services followed by meal from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Afternoon service will resume from 1:00 to 2:50 pm, visitation will follow from 2:50 to 3:50 p.m. Wang Chou will be laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery at 4:30 pm later that day.
Dunlap Memorial Home in Fort Atkinson is assisting the family.
In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cure CJD (Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease) – University College London Hospitals Charity UK
Wang Chou Yang
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A wonderful, wonderful article to remind us of the Hmong people and how much they helped us during the Viet Nam War…..I am so grateful for the knowledge that they, as refugees , have been able to make good lives here….I know it’s been a struggle …..as an ESL teacher I was blessed to have many Hmong students along the way and have enjoyed all of them as students and as friends….
Thank you so much for this article…….