From the desk of Anna Douangphachanh, Board Member, Legacies of War
After watching the documentary Make Peace or Die: Honor the Fallen, which follows Marine Anthony Marquez on his journey of healing and remembrance for seventeen fallen Marines and their Gold Star families, I was reminded of something a friend once said: “Your necklace looks like a dog tag.” It’s a piece I wear often: the Article 22 “Love is the Bomb” Jewlegram necklace is crafted by Laotian artists from melted-down shrapnel of U.S. bombs dropped on Laos during the Laotian Civil War and the U.S. Secret War. Works of art, from my necklace to the battlefield cross carvings Marine Anthony Marquez crafts for families in the documentary, can hold history, offer healing, and inspire hope.
For me, the necklace embodies both my family’s experiences as Lao war refugees and the lives of countless soldiers and civilians impacted by the war, including those in Laos who still live with the danger of millions of unexploded bombs from conflicts decades ago.
Like traditional dog tags, it serves as a form of remembrance, honoring lost lives and carrying a deeply personal sense of memory and tribute to loved ones. It honors the dead but also reminds me to serve the living, especially those who still carry the physical and psychological scars of war. How can we honor the past while serving the present? The Laotian artists crafting this jewelry are doing exactly that. They transform instruments of war into objects of renewal, create income, recycle materials, and preserve meaning and history in each piece.
Although the Vietnam War is well known to most Americans, the simultaneous events in Laos and their connection to that conflict remain far less known. The Laotian Civil War, heavily supported by the United States through the US Secret War in Laos, was carried out in secrecy from the American public. Much of this covert war was tied to the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a critical supply route that wound through eastern Laos and became a major target of relentless U.S. bombing campaigns. However, this war was anything but secret to people in Laos, who saw bombs raining down on their homes and families, or to American Gold Star Families who lost loved ones serving in the conflict. I question, how would outcomes for people in Laos, the Lao diaspora, or those Gold Star Families be different if this history were more widely known?
Silence and invisibility can be deeply damaging. Without the opportunity to share our stories and be seen, pain can fester and spill into ourselves, into others, and into every part of life. For many, finding peace begins with learning to validate our own experiences and to create our own forms of voice. Symbols like dog tags or this necklace give voice to our experiences, allowing us to carry a part of our truth even when others omit it from their stories, overlook it, or fail to understand it.
It’s a small but meaningful piece in the ongoing process of grieving, healing, moving forward, and serving the living.
About Anna Douangphachanh
Anna is an American of Lao heritage and the daughter and sister of Lao Americans who came to the U.S. as refugees. She is on the Board of Legacies of War (LoW), an educational and advocacy organization addressing the ongoing impact of extensive military operations in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam during the Vietnam Era—particularly those led by the United States. Read more about Anna and LoW at https://www.legaciesofwar.org/bio-anna-douangphachanh.
About Article 22 Jewelry
Article 22 Jewelry is a brand that specializes in creating jewelry from war remnants, specifically from Laos during the Vietnam War era. The brand’s mission is to transform the negative legacy of war into positive symbols of peace and love. Each piece of jewelry is handmade by artisans in Laos from aluminum and iron shrapnel from unexploded bombs, which are repurposed to clear hazardous land and support the community. Learn more here.
Save 10%!
For 10% savings use this link
Make Peace or Die: Honor the Fallen Documentary Film
A veteran Marine Anthony Marquez uses hand-carved battlefield crosses to reconnect with families of fallen, fellow Marines. Learn more about the documentary Make Peace or Die and watch on PBS Passport here.
Leave a Reply