Private

Te Wa Moana Paenga

Conflict: 
Vietnam
NZ WAR GRAVES

Biographical Notes:

Originally buried in Gisborne, his remains were moved to lie with his mother in this small Urupa.

 

Mo was one of nine children who grew up Whangara, 30km north-east of Gisborne. From a farming background, he went to a farming college in Te Urewera where he met Nehe Karauria, the head shepherd from Paparatu Station. Nehe had served with W1 Company in Vietnam. It was perhaps no surprise then when Mo followed in Nehe's footsteps and went to Vietnam as a rifleman with V4 Company. 

On 19 March 1970, less than two months before the end of his Tour of Duty, Mo was killed in a major contact during Operation Waiponamu in the Nui Dinh Hills. Four other New Zealanders – Bill Keatch, Olly Taukamo, Beau Heke, and Tom Tuhiwai were wounded in the same action.

Source: vietnamwar.govt.nz

Public Contributions:

There are no public contributions written for this casualty

Personal Tributes:

Casualty

Service Number: 
43651
Name:
Te Wa Moana Paenga
Rank: 
Private
Date of Birth:
Not known
Date of Enlistment:
Not known
Unit:
Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, 6 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion, Victor 4 Company

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:
Date of Death:
19 March 1970
Day of Death:
Thursday
Conflict: 
Vietnam

Embarkation Details

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery: 
Cemetery Location: 
New Zealand
Te Wa Moana Paenga
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