War expert and Author to speak at Nelson’s “Lest We Forget”

MEDIA RELEASE
April 12 2011

Acknowledged Pacific War expert and Author to speak at Nelson’s “Lest We Forget” Event.

Lest We Forget ANZAC Event hosts Author and Pacific War historian, Bruce Petty, on April 24th and 25th. Petty, whose first book was “Saipan: Oral Histories of the Pacific War”, has written three other books on WWII in the Pacific, the latest, “New Zealand in the Pacific War: Personal Accounts of World War 2”, which was inspired by his earlier Pacific War research and oral history interviews.

Petty came upon some dramatic discoveries – forgotten graves, plane and ship wreckage, and other stories which enabled him to ‘fit pieces of the jigsaw’ together for people who have been searching for long-lost friends and family members. The final section of the book is about those New Zealanders he met with Kiwi mothers and American servicemen fathers and the astounding connections he made through his research.

Bruce Petty is generously giving his time to present talks with an emphasis on New Zealand’s involvement in the war in the Pacific at the “Lest We Forget” event at Founder’s Park over ANZAC Weekend after being contacted by one of the event’s volunteers, Darryl Ware. “ Bruce’s talks will be particularly interesting for anybody with a connection to New Zealand’s involvement in the Pacific War, but also those who are simply curious. He has had an extraordinary impact on so many lives with the results of his incredible research” says Ware.

Bruce Petty was born in Long Beach, California, in 1945, enlisting in the U.S. Naval Reserves at Alameda Naval Air Station in 1962, while still in high school. After graduation from high school, he served two years aboard USS Yorktown, CVS-10, as an aviation ordnanceman, and is a Vietnam War veteran.

Petty now lives in New Plymouth, with his wife and three children, and is in demand as a Pacific War speaker at many events and venues, including cruise ships.

Lest We Forget spokesperson TJ Ramsay says “Bruce Petty will be a real highlight at this year’s event and we’re incredibly lucky to have an historian of his ilk here in Nelson. People will be able to register for Bruce’s sessions throughout both days, at Founders Park’s Duncan House. His talks will be approximately one hour long.”

Lest We Forget interactive ANZAC event, presented by Dramatix Theatre Development Trust, runs daily, wet or fine, 10am – 4pm on April 24th and 25th at Founders Heritage Park, Nelson. Entry just $2 per person, all ages.

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