William Papuni
Born 14 Apr 1948
- Service number
- Vietnam 556493 AWMM
- Also known as
- W. Papuni AWMM
- Tauti AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- —
- War
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- William AWMM
- Surname
- Papuni AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- W. Papuni AWMM
- Tauti AWMM
- Service number
- Vietnam 556493 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM
- Ngāti Porou, Ngā Iwi o Horouta, Horouta, Waka o Ngā Iwi, Ngā Iwi, Māori AWMM
- Religion
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Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 14 Apr 1948 Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
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- Post war occupation
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- Next of kin
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- Relationship status
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Wars and conflicts
- War
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975 AWMM
- Campaign
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- Vietnam 556493 AWMM
- Military service
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- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
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Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
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- Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- Vietnam Private Ministry for Culture and Heritage 4th Royal Australian Regiment / New Zealand (ANZAC) Battalion, Victor 6 Company (1RNZIR) AWMM 1st Australian Task Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
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Last known rank
- Last rank
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- Last rank
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Biographical information
- Papuni was involved in Operation Hermit Park in the Phuoc Tuy Province of Vietnam (25 June 1971). He did not recieve recogninition for the operation. Over 50 years later Australian Veteran Affairs redressed this situation by creating commemorative frames to recognise the three New Zealand soldiers who risked their lives for the Australians. AWMM
About death
- Death
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- Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
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- Death notes
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- Cemetery
- Tureheru Cemetery, 570 Nelson Road, Tureheru, Gisbourne 4071. AWMM Block; RSA34, Plot; 92. AWMM
- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Sources
- External links
- New Zealand's Vietnam War Veterans. Personal page
http://www.vietnamwar.govt.nz/veteran/pte-w-papuni
Sources Used - Memories of New Zealand and the Vietnam War. New Zealand History online website.
http://www.vietnamwar.govt.nz/
Further Reference - Australia's Vietnam War
https://web.archive.org/web/20241003003021/https://vietnam.unsw.adfa.edu.au/
Further Reference - Gisbourne District Council Cemetery Search
http://www.gdc.govt.nz/online-cemetery-record-search/detail/46252?backLink=%2Fonline-cemetery-record-search%2FForm%3FNotHelpulInfoReason%3D&LastName%3DPAPUNI&FirstName%3D&action_find%3DSearch
Further Reference - Jolley, E & Sanders, B. (15 August 2020). Vietnam War bravery overlooked because of 'medal quotas' finally recognised 50 years on. ABC News.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-15/fight-to-recognise-soldiers-courage-in-vietnam-war/12559996
Further Reference - Article from The Toowoomba Chronicle about Norman Fry's 50-year campaign to get three Victor 6 Company soldiers – William Papuni, Mike Williams, and John Galley – official recognition for their bravery during Operation Hermit Park, June 1971
https://vietnamwar.govt.nz/photo/50-year-battle-recognition
Further Reference - A Year in Review: Online Cenotaph 2021
https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/2021
Further Reference - Passau, Victoria. Honouring outstanding gallantry. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira. First published: 26 May 2021.
https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/v6
Further Reference
- New Zealand's Vietnam War Veterans. Personal page
- References
- Subritsky, M. (Ed). (1995). The Vietnam scrapbook: The second ANZAC adventure. Papakura, N.Z.: Three Feathers Publishing Co.
- Hall, C. (2014). No front line : inside stories of New Zealand's Vietnam War. Auckland, New Zealand : Penguin Books.
- This record was created from data kindly provided by the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
- McGibbon, I.C. (2010). New Zealand's Vietnam War: a history of combat, commitment and controversy. Auckland, N.Z.: Exisle
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