Star, Pacific
Description
A bronze Pacific Star. The six pointed star features the " GRI / VI " monogram at the centre which is surmounted by the royal crown. " The Pacific Star " rings the monogram. The centre of the ribbon is dark green with a central yellow stripe. On the outer edges are wide stripes of red with narrow stripes of dark blue and light blue between the stripes of dark green and red.
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Object detail
Subject person
Classification
Credit line
This
Pacific
Star
was
awarded
to
Sergeant
Ronald
Reardon,
of
Tariki.
Reardon
was
a
Kittyhawk
pilot
in
the
18th
Squadron
of
the
RNZAF
who
served
in
the
Pacific
Theatre
during
World
War
II.
He fought as part of Operation Cartwheel (1943–1944) a major military strategy of the Allied forces (United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and some Pacific Islands), which targeted the Japanese base at Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. As Kittyhawks could not operate at great heights, they acted as escorts providing close cover for the American bombers during the bombing strikes against Rabaul. The strength of the Kittyhawks came as a result of discipline and teamwork. Reardon left New Zealand for Papua New Guinea on the 9th January 1943. His Kittyhawk was shot down one month later off the coast of Kabanga, southwest of Rabaul.
He fought as part of Operation Cartwheel (1943–1944) a major military strategy of the Allied forces (United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and some Pacific Islands), which targeted the Japanese base at Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. As Kittyhawks could not operate at great heights, they acted as escorts providing close cover for the American bombers during the bombing strikes against Rabaul. The strength of the Kittyhawks came as a result of discipline and teamwork. Reardon left New Zealand for Papua New Guinea on the 9th January 1943. His Kittyhawk was shot down one month later off the coast of Kabanga, southwest of Rabaul.
Accession number
PA2010.216
Collection type
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