On
the 7th August this year, 2002 Sir Gideon Zoleveke received two awards from the United
States Marines.
Sir Gideon received a Certificate of Recognition from the Marine
Corps University Foundation and The Distinguished Service Medal from the
Marine Corps League.
These awards were made to Sir Gideon in recognition of the help
given to the fighting men of the United States during the Second World War.
That help given by Solomon Islanders to their American friends was invaluable in
the defeat of the Japanese forces.
The Battle of Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands proved to
be the turning point of the War in the Pacific between Japan and America.
Sir Gideon was based on Vella LaVella working as a medical
dresser when Japanese armed forces occupied the Island in 1942. He was
based with Father Sylvester at the Mission station on the South East coast. In
October 1942 he received a message from Martin Clemens, the District
Officer based on Guadalcanal, that a Coastwatcher Station was to be set up on
Vella LaVella. He was to meet the Coastwatchers when they arrived by
submarine and to help set up their Coastwatching station near Mundimundi on
the north west coast.
This dangerous operation was successfully carried out under
the noses of the Japanese garrison. The Coastwatchers were John Keenan an
Australian and Englishman Henry Josselyn. With the immense help given by the
Solomon Islanders working with them, they were able to radio back to
Guadalcanal all Japanese shipping and aircraft movements. This prior warning
of impending Japanese attacks alerted the Americans defending Henderson Field
whereby the American Wildcat fighter planes could gain the height needed to
fight the Japanese bombers.
The Coastwatcher station was known to exist by the
Japanese. They too could hear the radio warnings being transmitted by the
Coastwatchers. In frustration they searched for the camp. If the camp had been
found there was no doubt what the fate of the Coastwatchers and their Solomon
Island helpers would have been.
The Japanese never did find the camp despite many patrols
sent out to find it. At no time did Solomon Islanders betray the
location. In the meantime many downed American fliers were rescued
and their wounds treated by Sir Gideon. Several hundred American sailors were
saved and treated by those at the Coastwatcher station when the USS Helena was
sunk off the Coast of Vella LaVella.
The Coastwatcher operation contributed enormously to the final
victory. United States Admiral Bull Halsey, in charge of operations in the
Solomons said that 'the Coastwatchers saved Guadalcanal and Guadalcanal saved
the Pacific".
In 1944 when the Japanese left Vella LaVella Martin Clemens
visited with Sir Gideon and suggested that he could now go to Fiji and
complete his medical studies. Sir Gideon went on to become a qualified doctor
and later had a distinguished career in politics becoming a deputy Prime
Minister of Solomon Islands. His entire life seems to be in service of
others.
Through these awards the United States Marines recognises
his outstanding loyalty, service and bravery. These awards were
made to Sir Gideon too on behalf of all Solomon Islanders who served.