( CNN ) -- On Wednesday , U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives in my former homeland of Laos . This is the first visit by any U.S. secretary of state since 1955 and a trip I did n't think would happen in my lifetime . After all , the U.S.-backed war in Laos left the U.S. and the new government of Laos in tense relations for decades . Beyond the diplomatic significance of this trip , the visit can help to heal the wounds of war , bringing hope for many Americans of Lao descent , like myself , that we no longer have to choose between our former and new homelands . The visit offers an opportunity to help advance a complex relationship and address one of the remaining war legacies . Between 1964 and 1973 , during the Vietnam War , the U.S. dropped the equivalent of one planeload of bombs every eight minutes , 24 hours a day , on a country the size of Minnesota . One ton of bombs was dropped for every person in Laos at the time , making the nation the most heavily bombed per capita in history . The `` Secret War , '' not formally authorized by Congress and in violation of international accords , sought to halt Communist ground incursions from North Vietnam and to cut off activities along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos . I grew up not knowing much about this history -- it was n't taught in school -- and what little I knew , I pieced together from my parents , who avoided extensive conversations about the past . The bombing ended in 1973 , the same year I was born in the capital city of Vientiane . The new government came into power shortly after , and by the time I was 6 , my family left Laos due to the country 's growing instability . The decision to leave their homeland was difficult for my parents , but it was guided by the promise that their young children would one day live the American dream of bountiful opportunities and lasting freedom . Our harrowing journey began with the separation of our family members and a secretive swim by my father across the Mekong River to a refugee camp in Thailand , and eventually led us to northern Virginia , where I started my new life . Over the next 20 years , I set about becoming American , all the while mourning for a homeland I feared I would never see again . Laos clamped down its borders after 1975 , and relations between the U.S. and Laos , while not severed , were tense . When they eventually thawed , I took the opportunity to travel . In 2004 , I made my first trip back to Laos , and felt a deep affection for the people , culture and land that I barely remembered from my childhood . Reconnecting with my Lao heritage included discovering the dark history and lingering effects of that Secret War -- of which I and the majority of Americans knew little . I discovered that the past is still very present . In the 40 years since the bombing ceased , 20,000 people have been killed or maimed by unexploded ordnance , with an estimated one-third of Lao land still littered with it . In subsequent trips , I witnessed the devastating effects of these leftover bombs on the local population : They hinder economic growth and force thousands of people to go about their daily lives in fear of deadly explosions . I met children in the countryside , many of whom were just 6 or 7 years old -- the same age I was when my family left the for the U.S. -- who were maimed by playing or tampering with the small , toylike cluster bombs . These children are innocent victims of a war we had thought was long over . The U.S. began funding the cleanup of these bombs in 1997 , and until recently , contributed an average of $ 2.6 million per year to this effort . This year , Congress directed that this contribution be increased to $ 9 million , a hopeful sign that the U.S. sees clearance of these bombs as a priority . But funding still pales in comparison to the enormity of the problem : Only about 1 % of these bombs have been cleared . We have a long way to go , but this is a problem that can be solved -- as long as the U.S. , in cooperation with Laos and other international donors , makes a long-term , sustained funding commitment . As an American of Lao descent , I am heartened by Secretary Clinton 's visit to Laos . The reconciliation process is well under way , and despite the complex history between my two homelands , the U.S. and Lao governments can be on the right side of history and clear Laos of these deadly bombs once and for all . That way , the dreams that my parents had for me when I resettled in the U.S. -- to live freely and with bountiful opportunities -- may also be realized for the children in Laos for generations to come . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Channapha Khamvongsa .
Channapha Khamvongsa : Hillary Clinton travels to Laos , an opportunity to right relations . She says U.S. huge bombing campaign during `` Secret War '' left lethal ordnance behind . She says a third of Laos has unexploded ordnance ; 20,000 have been killed , maimed . Writer : U.S. recently upped funding for cleanup ; U.S. , world must make long-term commitment .