Marines@Mahia 1943-2013

[Rob Beale]

The US Ambassador's Representative and serving Marines seated before the Memorial stone.

The USMC Major addressing the assembled public.
We used a 48 star US flag to cover the memorial as was current in WW2. The Marines folded it ceremonially.
The flagpoles flew the flags of USA, the former dominions: NZ, Australia and Canada, and Great Britain.
A USMC flag was flown to one side.

(The Catafalque Guard were Local Cadets who were trained in SMLE drill.
The firing party were re-enactors from Auckland.)

Armour on Mahia Beach for probably the first time in 70 years!
The Half track and LP2 and LP2A carriers moving out for the practice battle.
The beach in the far distance is Opoutamu where the 1943 landing exercises were held.

pictures supplied by Peter Moore

Our American visitors suffered in our sunshine.
We have high UV due to the isolation from cities and proximity to the Antarctic ozone hole that moves north each spring.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Looks very dignified. It is times like this that reinforce why we bother with old rusted trucks, scratchy uniforms and otherwise Useless Farking Information about the past. Good job.