Frank Gill

Air Commodore Thomas Francis Gill, (31 January 1917 – 1 March 1982) was a New Zealand air force pilot and politician. He flew with the Royal Air Force throughout the Second World War and afterwards served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force until 1969. He entered Parliament as a National Party MP in 1969 and served as a cabinet minister from 1975 to 1980, when he resigned to become New Zealand's Ambassador to the United States.

Early life Born in Wellington on 31 January 1917 to Tom and Adelaide Gill ( Latto), Gill was educated at St. Patrick's College, Wellington. Gill was one of eight children.

Air force career Gill joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in 1937 and transferred to the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1939. He was a flying officer with No. 75 Squadron on 23 September 1941 when he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

Gill attended RAF Staff College, Bulstrode Park and the Joint Services Staff College at Latimer House, and returned to the RNZAF following the war. In 1953, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. He served as New Zealand's armed forces attaché in Washington, D.C. from 1957 to 1959 and senior air staff officer of the Commonwealth air forces in Singapore from 1960 to 1962. Gill was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1961 New Year Honours. He was Deputy Chief of Air Staff with the rank of air commodore from 1965, and served as Air Officer Commanding Operations Group RNZAF at Whenuapai from 1965 to 1969.

Gill was a cabinet minister, and held the positions of Minister of Health (1975–1978), Minister of Immigration (1975–1978), and Minister of Police (1978–1980)

On 25 August 1980, Gill was granted the right to retain the title The Honourable on his retirement as a member of the Executive Council of New Zealand.

Ambassador to Washington and death Gill was New Zealand's Ambassador to the United States from 1981 until his death. Muldoon's decision to appoint Gill as Ambassador was opposed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Brian Talboys.

While serving as Ambassador to the United States, Gill was hospitalised at Georgetown University Hospital on 16 February 1982 and returned to New Zealand on a stretcher