Hmong, Lao to be honored with next Veterans Park statues

It may be the first monument of its kind anywhere in the U.S. and, of course, La Crosse’s Louie Ferris is behind it.

The proposed statue would be of two Hmong and Lao soldiers, planned for La Crosse’s Veterans Freedom Park.

Ferris, the local veteran who has arranged for other statues to be displayed at the park, told WIZM on Monday that the Lao and Hmong who assisted American troops in Vietnam should get recognition at the memorial park.

“Not just for them and their people and remind them how they got here, why they’re here, what happened,” Ferris explained, “but for the Americans, remind them, the sacrifices that they made.”

The Veterans Freedom Park in north La Crosse has statues honoring soldiers of the Korean War and World War I and the Nurse Cadet Corps — all spearheaded by Ferris.

Ferris is trying to raise $40,000 to have the statues made. He would like to see the monument dedicated by the end of next year. He asks to send checks ot 

Ferris said the statues will be modeled after Naotou Lor and Zaxa Vue, two retired Trane Company employees, who have worked with him on the memorial projects.

Ferris hopes to have the statues dedicated before the end of 2019. Watch the interview below, about 9 minutes in.

To donate, checks can be mailed to Louie Ferris at 1519 George St., La Crosse, WI, 54603. With questions, call Ferris at 608.784.9576. Donations can also be made to River Bank on the north side.