Mario Takasuka was born in Australia in 1910, the son of Jō and Ichiko Takasuka who migrated to Australia from Japan in 1905. Jō Takasuka conducted many experiments in adapting rice growing to Australian conditions in the early 1900s, helping to progress the Australian rice growing industry. Mario, like many Japanese Australians, applied to serve his country during the Second World War. His path to successfully joining the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) was not smooth. His first 2 attempts to

Warrant Officer Leonard Victor 'Len' Waters was Australia's first Indigenous fighter pilot, and served with 78 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force. Born in 1924 on the Euraba Aboriginal Mission, Len developed a fascination with aviation from a young age, listening with admiration to news of the exploits of Charles Kingsford-Smith and Amy Johnson. Waters left school before his 14th birthday to support his family, and he worked as a shearer before volunteering for service in the Royal Australian