VISIT TO N.Z.

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31153, 1 September 1966, Page 5

VISIT TO N.Z.

U.S. Marine Veterans About 700 former United States marines and their families will fly from California to New Zealand on six or more chartered jetliners in February, 1968. Members of the Second Marine Division Association, they will visit Wellington, where they first arrived in 1943 after the Guadalcanal campaign. Wellington was the site of the marines’ wartime base, and during their stay they adopted New Zealand as their second country, at least 500 marrying New Zealand girls. The first “pilgrimage flight” to New Zealand was held in 1963, and was organised by two Marine veterans, Messrs J. E. Lee, of Concord, California, and R. E. Wickman, now of Auckland. Planning for the 1968 visit started when those on the 1963 tour returned to the United States. Mr Wickman, who is public relations adviser for the association, said hundreds who missed the last visit .vowed not to miss again. Prospective visitors were being sent a special publication, “Kiwiland,” containing information on New Zealand and details of the 1968 visit. About 700 former marines have already written for details. The promotion of the first “pilgrimage” started six years ago, and it now seemed to have turned into a lifetime project, said Mr Wickman. “But, then, this is quite proper. When we first arrived in New Zealand in 1943 we had been fighting for the United States. When we sailed out of Wellington harbour several months later we had two countries to fight for,” Mr Wickman said. Mr S. Shapiro, of Brooklyn, a former president of the Second Marine Division Association, wrote recently: “Don’t call us tourists. All we are doing is coming home.”