New Zealand Defence Force Medals Site

THE PACIFIC STAR

31. General

The Pacific Star is granted for operational service in the Pacific theatre between the 8th December, 1941 and the 2nd September, 1945, inclusive, and also for certain specified service in China, Hong-Kong and Malaya.

Land Service

1. The qualification for army personnel for service on land is entry as part of the establishment into operational service in an area defined in para.32.
2. The undermentioned paid full-time members of colonial military forces, militarised policy and militarised civilian bodies are eligible to qualify for the Pacific Star for operational service during the periods shown:-d.

32. Qualifying Land Areas

The land qualifying areas for the Pacific Star are:-

1. 	From	To
   China	11.12.41	15.2.42
   Hong-Kong	8.12.41	25.12.41
   Malaya	8.12.41	15.2.42
   Sumatra	14.2.42	23.3.42

2. 1. All Islands* in the Central Pacific and the South China Sea which were subject to enemy invasion or occupation within the area bounded on the North by Latitude 40° North and on the East by the 180th meridian. The Southern boundary of the area runs along Latitude 12° South from the 180th meridian to Longitude 145° East.The boundary then turns North along Longitude 145° East to Latitude 9° 40' South. It runs Westward along this line to Timor. It then turns due South to Latitude 12° South, runs along this Westwards to the Longitude 110° and then to Christmas Island (excluding the Island). The boundary then runs Northwards round the South-East coast of Sumatra to Singapore.

      Note.
      Service in China and Malaya on or after 16th February, 1942, or Hong-Kong on or after 26th December, 1941, or in Sumatra on or after 24th March, 1942, is a qualification for the Burma Star.

   2. The principal Islands and groups of Islands with overall qualifying dates are:-

      	From	To
      Bismarck Archipelago	22.1.42	2.9.45
      British North Borneo, Brunei, Sarawak and Dutch Borneo.	8.12.41	2.9.45
      Caroline Islands	8.12.41	2.9.45
      Celebes	26.1.42	2.9.45
      Gilbert and Ellice Islands	10.12.41	2.9.45
      Guam	12.12.41	2.9.45
      Iwo Jima	8.12.41	2.9.45
      Java	5.3.42	2.9.45
      Marianas	8.12.41	2.9.45
      Marshall Islands	8.12.41	2.9.45
      Molucca Islands	30.1.42	2.9.45
      Nauru	8.12.41	2.9.45
      New Guinea	7.3.42	2.9.45
      Ocean Island	8.12.41	2.9.45
      Okinawa	8.12.41	2.9.45
      Philippines Islands	10.12.41	2.9.45
      Solomon Islands (British Solomon Islands Protectorate and Australian Mandated Territory).	1.2.42	2.9.45
      Timor	20.2.42	2.9.45
      Wake Island	22.12.41	2.9.45

   Notes.

   1. Service in territories and islands shown in para.15 (iv) qualifies for the Pacific Star in addition to the special award of the 1939-45 Star.
   2. The conditions for a special award of the Pacific Star for 30 days' service in the qualifying area on visits, journeys and inspections are stated in Section I.

33. Airborne Service

1. Airborne troops of the army who have taken part in airborne operations in a qualifying army area will qualify by “entry into operational service”.
2. Aircrew who flew over the qualifying land and sea areas within the dates specified, or in operations in the Aleutian Islands between the 3rd June, 1942 and the 16th August, 1943 (inclusive), will qualify by an operational sortie.
3. Non-Aircrew service on land qualifies under conditions laid down in para.31 (i).
4. The qualification for flying personnel posted or employed on air transport or ferrying duties will be at least three landings in any of the qualifying areas shown in para.32 during the stipulated dates.

34. Sea-going Service

1. The qualification for army personnel posted for duty in sea-going vessels (para.7) in direct or close support (i.e., within visual contact) of land operations is “entry into operational service” as for service on land.
2. 1. For other service afloat “entry into operational service” is subject to the qualification that the 1939-45 Star and previously been qualified for by 180 days' operational service.
   2. “Causal entry” into the qualifying area, e.g., in ships of the East Indies Station that crossed the Western boundary of the area for the purpose of fuelling, etc., in Western Australia will not be a qualification.

   Note.– The qualifying conditions for special award of this star are stated in Section I.

3. Last six months.–Personnel who entered operational service in the qualifying area on or after the 7th March, 1945, and did not thereafter serve in the area qualifying for the Burma Star (subject to the rule as to “casual entry”), may qualify for the Pacific Star by “entry into operational service” and the six months' time qualification is waived.In such cases, except for a special award under paragraph 10 (i), the 1939-45 Star may not awarded for service of less than 180 days.

35. Qualifying Sea Areas

The qualifying sea areas for the award of the Pacific Star are the Pacific Ocean (including the South China Sea) and the Indian Ocean East of a line running due South from Singapore round the South-East coast of Sumatra, through Christmas Island, and Southwards along the meridian of 110° East.

36. Clasp (Alternative Award)

1. The Pacific Star and the Burma Star are alternative awards.Personnel whose service qualified for both the Pacific and the Burma Stars will be awarded only the campaign star for which they first qualified.They will, however, be awarded a clasp to show that they rendered service which qualified for the second star.
2. A silver rose emblem, denoting the award of the clasp, will be worn on the ribbon of the campaign star award when the star itself is not worn.