Papers of the Gamboa family 1949-1999 [manuscript]

Philippino-born Lorenzo Gamboa, an American soldier on duty in Melbourne, married Joyce Cain in West Brunswick in 1943. By 1946 the couple had one son and were expecting the birth of another when, under Australia's immigration laws reflecting the White Australia policy, Lorenzo was classified as a Filippino and ordered out of the country. Taking out American citizenship, Lorenzo re-enlisted, was posted to Tokyo, and saw action twice in Korea. The family's fight with the Australian Government for permission for Lorenzo to re-enter the country escalated into an international incident after a Reuter-APP correspondent reported their story. It was 1952 before Lorenzo Gamboa was permitted to return to Australia to join his wife and family.