United States Marines special visit to Paraparaumu

SPECIAL MOMENT: Gerald Bond, front, with US Marines, from left, Craig Sisler, Patrick Hammer, Alex Barham, Eric Cruz, Bradford Anderson, who hand delivered him a new United States flag.

Tears rolled down Gerald Bond's face when a group of United States Marines arrived at his Paraparaumu home today and hand delivered him a flag.

They gave the 89-year-old a brand spanking new United States flag which has replaced a decades old one which had been presented to Gerald's sister Shirley by US Marine Howard Royce in 1942.

Howard was one of thousands of US Marines stationed in the Wellington region during World War Two before ferocious battles in the Pacific against the Japanese; it is believed he died in the Battle of Guadalcanal.

Howard, in the 1st Marine Corps stationed in Hutt Park, met Shirley at The Service's Club, in High St, Lower Hutt, where she worked, and after striking up a connection, he presented her with a United States flag to keep.

When Shirley, who is now deceased, went to England to live, she gave Gerald the treasured flag, which he often flew from a flagpole in his High St Lower Hutt property, before moving to Paraparaumu, where the flag has been on regular display in his Cedar Drive property.

With the flag suffering a battering from the weather, and its appearance waning significantly, an approach was made to the United States Embassy in Wellington for a replacement.

The embassy requested a bit of information about the tattered flag and were amazed in its history.

"It touched our hearts a lot," US Marine Patrick Hammer said.

Five US Marines from the embassy's Marine Security Guard Detachment arrived at Howard's house this morning and gave him a brand new United States flag complete with certificate of authentication.

The marines also raised the new flag on the flagpole, which interestingly used to be the Porirua Post Office flagpole.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to bits," Gerald said.

Paraparaumu RSA president Chris Turver said the ceremony further cemented the relationships between the American Marines and Kapiti.

"Each year in Queen Elizabeth Park [between Paekakariki and Raumati South] we recognise the contribution the American Marines made.

"But a little human gesture like this goes a long way to cementing the relationships."