- Above: HE The Governor-General Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mataparae
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Rear Adm David Ledson (rtd), Prime Minister John Key and Ronald Milne, Deputy CE, Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Marines in formation outside the National War Memorial
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Saluting while the Royal Salute is played by the RNZAF Band
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Prime Minister John Key, HE The Governor-General and HE David Huebner, US Ambassador
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Reading by HE The Governor-General
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: HE David Huebner and Prime Minister John Key placing wreaths
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Lowering of the flags on the forecourt
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Prime Minister, HE The Governor-General and HE David Huebner pay their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Lt Gen Duane Theissen and Lt Gen Rhys Jones pay their respects
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: American and New Zealand military personnel by the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: US Marines placing poppies on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: New Zealand veterans pay their respects
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: US Marines at the ceremony
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
2012 marks the 70th anniversary of the arrival of American forces in New Zealand during WWII. With so few veterans left the US Embassy decided that this is an important anniversary to commemorate and marked it with a series of events during May and June this year.
On 14 June 2012, a ceremony was held at the National War Memorial marking the 70th anniversary of American forces arriving in Wellington.
The ceremony was attended by the Govenor General, His Excellency Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Jerry Mateparae, and the Prime Minister, Rt Hon John Key. LTGEN Duane Theissen, Commander, U.S. Marines Corps Forces Pacific and Major General Ronald Bailey, Commanding Officer 1st Marine Division were also in attendance along with senior New Zealand Defence Force personnel.
