Monday 29th May is (American) Memorial Day and Kāpiti US Marines Trust will be commemorating the 75th Anniversary of US Forces arrival in NZ 1942-44.
Also blessing a completely restored US Marines hut brought back onto the park where Marines camps once were. Rehearsals with our friends from NZDF took place this morning and the Menzshed hero’s are doing final touches.
Memorial Weekend 2017 (May 28-29) commemorates the 75th Anniversary of the arrival of U.S.Armed forces in New Zealand in 1942. To mark the occasion, the Trust will also open its newly-restored U.S.Marines Hut in Queen Elizabeth Park (formerly Camp Russell).
For those who lived through these times, their friends, children and grandchildren this is a great time to soak up some World War II U.S.Marines history, visit Kāpiti and explore our newly developed U.S.Marines sites.
Key events:
The In the Footsteps of the Marines charity Walk & Run through two former U.S.Marine Camps (Sunday May 28 starting at 8 am), and
Our special Memorial Day Service in Queen Elizabeth Park (Monday June 29) starting at 10 am (sharp) – followed by the opening of the new Marines’ hut and a community morning tea).
Memorial Day commemorates nearly half a million U.S. service men and women who lost their lives in World War II and acknowledges the strong bond between Kāpiti people and the Marines during this time.
This 75th Anniversary of the “friendly invasion” of U.S.Armed Services during World War II will focus on the remarkable story of how the three Marines Camps were built by Kiwis in just six weeks.
Join us and find out more about our Huts Restoration Project. If you have time to spare – visit our Marines Heritage Walk in Whareroa Farm and the “Friend In Need Exhibition” at the Paekākāariki Station Museum.
For more on the Kāpiti US Marines Trust see: marinenz.com/
