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US Marines in Wellington - Source: ONE News -
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For almost 50,000 United States military personnel New Zealand was home for a part of their World War Two campaign, sent here to defend us from potential invasion.
While the invasion never came, many of these young men did go on to make the ultimate sacrifice, so on Monday, US Memorial Day, they were remembered by those Kiwis whose lives they touched.
Some of the US marines may not be in the land of the free and home of the brave, but even in the land of the long white cloud, on Memorial Day, they stopped to remember their fallen countrymen.
"It's amazing for me to actually experience it and just remember the men a women that have died for their country, and had the opportunity to visit places like this," says Captain Andrew Reilly, US Marine Corp.
At its peak, 45,000 Americans were stationed in New Zealand during World War Two in case of attack from the Japanese.
"Marines along with US army, navy and airforce personnel were treated like your own sons who were away facing the horrors of North Africa and Europe," says Dr David Keegan, US Embassy.
The marines gifted their flag to Old St Pauls when they departed New Zealand in 1944, as the church was a special place for them as they went there to pray, to interact with Kiwi families and to make friends.
"My mother would always say 'the girls don't drink or smoke' and 'make sure you're home at such and such a time and we'll be waiting up.' And my goodness they always were," says Joan Ellis, wartime girlfriend.
But for the men they were good times that couldn't last with many shipped off to the battle lines of Guadalcanal.
"We were broken hearted when the newspaper published a list of all those that had been killed. I think the whole country went into mourning because so many people had met them and befriended them," says Ellis.
It's a bond that will forever bind a super power and a tiny Pacific nation.
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