Happy Birthday USA, Lest we forget:Sgt Major Sega Birito!

Americans love their war heroes.They go to great pains to remember their legends. And today being July 4, the greatest holiday in American history – American Independence Day – there will be fireworks, history and stories of the great deeds of American heroes.

One such American War hero lies in an obscure grave in Papua New Guinea. He wasn’t born and raised in America. But in the heat of the battles of World War II, this simple policeman from Garaina was recruited by the US Marines as a forward scout.

Sgt Major Sega Birito became so good at the job, landing with the Marines at Tulagi, Guadalcanal and on Bougainville, that he was awarded the United States Army’s Bronze Star for gallantry on Bougainville.

Sgt Maj Birito is probably the only native Papua New Guinean to have earned the United States Army’s Bronze Star in combat as our research has shown there are no other known natives who were awarded the same in WWII.

Yet, in PNG, very little is known about this World War II hero. Papua New Guineans are only taught about the Kokoda Track, Rabaul, Milne Bay, Salamaua, Wewak and other poignant battles fought by Australian troops.

Perhaps in the US Marines, nobody will remember the name Sega Birito anymore because the people he fought alongside are probably all dead by now.

In 2009, our adventurous reporter chanced upon Sgt Major Birito’s grave in Garaina where he met Amos Sega, the son of the Waria Valley warrior.

Amos Sega had only a few requests to make 14 years ago. Amos asked if the Australian, PNG, and US Governments could make available funding for the erection of a government centre and a double classroom in Garaina.

Amos said: “I don’t want any other benefit; certainly, I don’t want any money. I just want these governments to recognise the efforts of my father during his service to the armed forces and to erect a building in Garaina to house the local level government offices.

“I also want to see a double classroom built at Garaina Primary School and both buildings to be named Sega Birito so that younger generations will know and honour the memory of this foot soldier.”

With the recent signing of the DCA agreement with the USA, the memory of Sgt Maj Sega Birito will be greatly honoured if his son’s request is considered worthy of the Bronze Star that he proudly deserved on the battle fields of Bougainville.

Perhaps, this is one that the new MP for Wau Waria can raise in the next sitting of Parliament.The great American 5-star General Douglas MacArthur conferred Sgt Maj Sega Birito’s Bronze Star in Wau making Birito the only Papua New Guinean policeman soldier to salute MacArthur.His legendary exploits were not forgotten because in 1973, the Americans sent Colonel Douglas Hubbard of the Admiral Nimitz Center in Fredericksburg, Texas to visit and honour him in Garaina.Three years later when he passed on, the US Army returned to lay their greatest forward scout to rest.

His Bronze Star citation reads: “Constable Sega, ANGAU, distinguished himself with meritorious achievement at Bougainville, Solomon Islands, from September 22-28, 1944. While making reconnaissance into enemy territory, he came upon a village occupied by hostile troops.

Crawling among the native houses, he collected information regarding enemy strength and dispositions. After reporting this information, he returned with a combat patrol which successfully attacked the village. On a later recon, he located a hostile camp and leading American troops, assisted in killing 14 of the enemy.”

The Bronze Star Medal is an award presented to US armed forces personnel for bravery, acts of merit or meritorious service.

Originally created in February 1944, this award is only presented for service in combat conditions.