THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT

PAWSON Donald William

C784670, Wing Commander, Royal New Zealand Air Force

CITATION

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

New Years Honours List 1988

Group Captain Pawson joined the RNZAF in 1955 and trained as a pilot.  After completing his operational conversion on the Sunderland flying boats he served for an extended tour with No 5 Squadron in Fiji.  On his return to New Zealand he qualified as a flying instructor, and completed a tour in the capacity before being posted back to the maritime role at Hobsonville.  Group Captain Pawson was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1977.  He has since held a variety of operational and staff appointments, including those of Commanding Officer No. 5 Squadron, Commanding Officer Maritime Wing, Deputy Commander New Zealand Force South East Asia and Senior Air Staff officer in the Air Staff.  He was appointed to his current position of Officer Commanding RNZAF Base Auckland in April 1987.  Throughout his 32 years service with the RNZAF, Group Captain Pawson has striven for the highest levels of personal attainment and these have been evidenced in the accomplishments of the units he has served with or commanded.  His unparalleled expertise in the maritime role, and his early recognition of the importance of this role in the defence of New Zealand have been applied to maximum effect in the senior staff appointments he has held.  This professional knowledge was instrumental in the preparatory drafting of the 1987 Defence Review and the finished document reflects his advice.  Group Captain Pawson has provided an excellent example of steadfast loyalty to the RNZAF.

Air Force Cross

Gazetted 10 June 1977, Supp 47237, p7132

Wing Commander Pawson joined the RNZAF in 1955 and trained as a pilot.  He has in excess of 8 thousand flying hours and is one of the service’s most experienced maritime captains.  Since July 1975 he has held the top maritime command post of Officer’s Commanding No. 5 Squadron, Auckland.  In his current command post he has borne the heavy responsibility of a large unit operating the RNZAF’s fleet of Orion maritime aircraft.  Tasks have covered a variety of operational missions in home waters and throughout the Pacific Basin.  On many occasions the success of these operations have depended on close co-operation with the navies and air forces of our allies and as a result has earned for No. 5 Squadron considerable praise for consistently  high levels of operational performance.  This excellent reputation has in turn reflected most favourably on the RNZAF and New Zealand as a whole.  Credit for such international standing, must be attributed in large part to Wing Commander Pawson who by his leadership and personal example has inspired his squadron to achieve high professional standards.

KNOWN AWARDS

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Air Force Cross

New Zealand Armed Forces Award

NOTES

Born 27 February 1936 Nelson, New Zealand

Died

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