Mondays are turning into very festive days for us at the Embassy and Consulate General. This past Monday we again threw a party, welcoming more than 400 guests to the stunning Events Centre on the top floor of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Once again we were celebrating the 236th Independence Day of the United States of America as well as the 70th anniversary of the arrival of American armed forces to help defend New Zealand during World War II.
It was not an accident that we chose the Museum as the site of our reception. Auckland Domain, in which the Auckland War Memorial Museum sits, was home to two U.S. camps during the war — Inner-Camp Hale (which housed more than 1,000 U.S. Navy shore staff and patients recovering from wounds suffered in combat in Pacific island battles against the invaders) and Outer-Camp Hale (consisting of 15 buildings on the slope directly in front of the Museum and used as a U.S. Army hospital complex with 750 beds).
![Auckland War Memorial Museum as it looked in 1943 when Auckland Domain was home to Camp Hale.Photo credit NZHistory. Click through for image source. Auckland War Memorial Museum as it looked in 1943 when Auckland Domain was home to Camp Hale.Photo credit NZHistory. Click through for image source.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130216204144im_/http://photos.state.gov/libraries/newzealand/8558/70th/independ1.jpg)
Auckland War Memorial Museum as it looked in 1943 when Auckland Domain was home to Camp Hale.
As in Wellington a week earlier, it was a wonderful evening filled with music, conversation, dance, shared memories, and warm appreciation for ongoing friendship and collaboration. We maintained the 1942 theme and brought with us the same vintage photo posters, video reel, and music that we used in Town Hall in Wellington. We had some trouble, though, getting a vehicle up to the top floor of the Museum, so we parked three 1940′s American jeeps on the outside steps to greet guests and ease them into the mood of the evening.
As they reached the roof-top venue guests were met by the sounds of Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, and other 1940′s masters, played by the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific Band. Many more people than in Wellington took the opportunity to dance, and the floor in front of the stage was filled with jiving, spinning couples. Perhaps the most popular of the dancing duos was national treasure Lucy Lawless and my star-struck colleague Jeremy.
![Lucy and Jeremy leading the way on the dance floor. Lucy and Jeremy on the dance floor.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130216204144im_/http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7084/7397802072_869415ecf3.jpg)
Lucy and Jeremy leading the way on the dance floor.
Our other guests included friends from academic, NGO, cultural, faith, business, medical, legal, and media circles as well as military veterans and many of my students. As in Wellington, I had some difficulty getting around the room, but I did get to say hello briefly to most of the attendees including Lady June Hillary, Jools Topp, AWMM Board Chairman Dr. William Randall, Aliya Danzeisen (founder of Women’s Organization of the Waikato Muslim Association), Pacific Cooperation Foundation chief executive Meg Poutasi …
… Rev. Uesifili Unasa (chair of Auckland’s Pacific Peoples Advisory Panel), Bevan Chuang (of Auckland’s Ethnic Peoples Advisory Panel), Pasifika Festival director Ole Maiava, worldclass sportswoman and educator Beatrice Faumuina, Auckland Art Gallery director Chris Saines, Professor Sergei Gulyaev (director of AUT’s Radio Astronomy Institute), Spasifik Magazine editor Innes Logan, Westpac private banking head Simon Power, MIT’s Dr. Stuart Middleton, James Pinker (of Mangere Arts Centre), Kiwibots’ Chris Hamling, Computer Clubhouse’s Mike Usmar, among others.
![Lady Hillary chatting with friends at the reception. Lady Hillary chatting with friends at the reception.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130216204144im_/http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5347/7397603344_c59079c30b.jpg)
Lady Hillary chatting with friends at the reception.
Government, public service, and diplomatic circles were also well represented. I chatted with His Worship the Mayor of Auckland Len Brown, Labour Foreign Affairs spokesman Phil Goff, Te Ariki Tamaroa Whatumoana (representing his father Kingi Tuheitia), Minister Maurice Williamson, and MPs including Jacinda Ardern, Paul Hutchison, and Shane Jones …
… as well as several City Councilors, MFAT Auckland office director Warwick Hawker, and Chairman Peter Kiely of the Pacific Cooperation Foundation. Most of the Auckland diplomatic corps turned out including my good friends Rodney Walshe (New Zealand’s most prominent Irishman, honorary or otherwise) and Samoan Consul General Pogi Reupena.
![Helen Kotua and Te Ariki Tamaroa Whatumoana. Helen Kotua and Te Ariki Tamaroa Whatumoana.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130216204144im_/http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7397738164_4a82508bd2.jpg)
Helen Kotua and Te Ariki Tamaroa Whatumoana.
As usual, we poured fine American wines and Coca Cola products. My staff vetoed my request for pizza and hot dogs so we offered guests an assortment of American fusion hors d’œuvres including avocado-salsa-espelette-cilantro tortilla wafers, polenta-blue-cheese-pomegranate-caramelized-onion filo tartlets, pancetta-wrapped scallops, smoked-chicken-mango-cilantro-chili-pepper tortilla crisps, and spiced lamb burgers with tomato chutney, feta, and mint.
We started the formal proceedings with the two national anthems. The Star-Spangled Banner was again sung by Chief Warrant Officer Michael Smith of the Marine Band. God Defend New Zealand was sung by NZ Defence Force veteran Grant Armishaw. I then spoke briefly about the 70th anniversary of the arrival of U.S. forces and what I consider to be the true meaning of friendship, service, and independence.
Mayor Len Brown offered spirited remarks about Auckland’s historically strong and increasingly vibrant relationship with the United States including with sister city Los Angeles (and with Waitakere’s sister city Huntington Beach). He made a few rugby comments that riled the crowd, so I responded in kind.
![Auckland Mayor Len Brown giving his remarks on behalf of the people of Auckland. Auckland Mayor Len Brown giving his remarks on behalf of the people of Auckland.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130216204144im_/http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7397776814_d718195843.jpg)
Auckland Mayor Len Brown offers remarks on behalf of the people of Auckland.
The Mayor and I then asked three World War II veterans — U.S. Marine Jack Long and N.Z. Army infantrymen Doug Ross and Rangi Ryan — to join us on stage to toast the People, Heads of State, and veterans of our two countries. Led to the stage by active-duty U.S. Marines, the three veterans were enthusiastically applauded by attendees for their service.
Mr. Long volunteered for the Marine Corps before Pearl Harbor and fought as a Flying Sergeant in two of the most hellish battles of the Pacific war, Guadalcanal and Bougainville. He was twice evacuated to New Zealand where he spent lengthy periods recovering in hospital, first from jaundice and then from wounds suffered when his airplane crashed during a mission.
Doug Ross and Rangi Ryan served in the 37th Infantry Brigade, NZ 3rd Division both in the Pacific and Europe during World War II. Mr. Ross saw action on Guadalcanal, Vella Lavella (in the Solomons), Nissan (in the Green Island group), and Italy. Mr. Ryan’s most memorable combat experience was in the Solomons and New Caledonia.
![Introducing WWII veterans (l to r) Rangi Ryan, Doug Ross, and Jack Long to the guests. Introducing WWII veterans (l to r) Rangi Ryan, Doug Ross, and Jack Long to the guests.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130216204144im_/http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7237/7397778900_636ba026b7.jpg)
Introducing WWII veterans (left to right) Rangi Ryan, Doug Ross, and Jack Long.
Just as with our event in Wellington, a lot of hard work and effort went into planning and executing the reception. I would like to thank our friends at the Auckland War Memorial Museum including Director Roy Clare, Kim Poole, and Rachel Prebble, as well as our corporate partners without whom the evening would not have been possible …
… Boeing Australia & South Pacific, Christchurch Engine Centre (Pratt & Whitney), Cubic Defence NZ, GE Corporate, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft New Zealand Limited, Motion Picture Association of America, NZFACT, UPS (United Parcel Service), Ceres New Zealand, MagTek, Visa, and Distilled Spirits Association of New Zealand (and its CEO Thomas Chin).
![Len Brown, Chris Hamling, National Manager, Kiwibots NZ and Sean Topham, Northern Regional Chairman of Young Nats. Len Brown, Chris Hamling, National Manager, Kiwibots NZ and Sean Topham, Northern Regional Chairman of Young Nats.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130216204144im_/http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7226/7397703870_2d5cd574bd.jpg)
Mayor Brown, Chris Hamling (national manager of Kiwibots NZ), and Sean Topham (Northern Regional Chair of Young Nats).
![Kim Daly, Phil Goff, and Stuart Middleton enjoy the food. Kim Daly, Hon. Phil Goff, and Stuart Middleton sampling the food.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130216204144im_/http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7232/7397722726_d15e664346.jpg)
Kim Daly, Hon. Phil Goff, and Stuart Middleton sampling the food.
![Guests discuss some of the wartime images hanging at the Auckland Independence Day event. Guests discuss some of the wartime images hanging at the Auckland Independence Day event.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130216204144im_/http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7397606888_42217aa456.jpg)
Guests viewing images of wartime New Zealand.
![U.S. Army Major General Mathews greets USMC and USAF veterans. U.S. Army Major General Mathews greets USMC and USAF veterans.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130216204144im_/http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7242/7397747480_91398f8b8d.jpg)
Visiting U.S. Army Major General Roger Mathews greets WWII veterans.
We aren’t done yet, though. Believe it or not, I’ve just dropped into a third city in time for a third Independence Day celebration. I flew to Christchurch from Wellington yesterday afternoon to meet the Marine Band, which had flown directly from Auckland the day before.
We played two great concerts yesterday – to a full house of more than 600 folks at La Vida in Riccarton and then to a couple hundred Cantabrians at the Geodome in Hagley Park. Today, after morning tea with my friend (and starlight doyen) Margaret Austin, we returned to the Geodome for another concert to a packed house of 400 Christchurch primary school students. Tonight we will conclude the two-week U.S. Marine Band tour as well as our formal 70th anniversary commemorations with an Independence Day celebration at the Royal NZ Air Force Museum here in Christchurch.
I’m sorry about any typos in the text above, but I’m firing off this post quickly on my laptop while trying to change into a fresh shirt and suit for this evening’s reception. It’s certainly a bad look for a host to show up late for his own party, so I’ll problee nede too forego mi uzule prufereeding. Apollogeez.
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