New Zealand Remembers

The 70th anniversary of the Friendly Invasion of New Zealand by U.S.Armed Forces 1942 - 1944 will be held in Kapiti, Porirua and Wellington between Saturday 28 May to Thursday 14 June 2012.

Join the celebrations. Click here for programme details.

Marinenz.com is part of a major project to collect, preserve and promote World War II US Armed Forces history from 1942-1944 in the Kapiti district.

While our focus is the history surrounding Camps Russell, MacKay and Paekakariki we also have an interest in "Marines" camps in other parts of the Wellington region and in the social history and friendships between Kiwis and Americans during this brief but all-important encounter.

The site is managed by the Kapiti US Marines Trust and aims to be a lively centre for story-telling between all those who have memories of these times.

As the site of one of New Zealand's most colourful local war stories, the Kapiti Coast is well positioned to recreate this unique slice of US/Kiwi history for generations to come.

'Arrival of US forces in New Zealand', URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/video/arrival-us-forces-new-zealand, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 22-Feb-2012