More than 500 fighting men from 60 countries gathered today in Waikiki to swear allegiance to the country they are fighting for — the United States of America.

They are on leave from U.S. bases in South Vietnam and other U.S. bases in Southeast Asia.

Authorities had hoped for 700 men, but some were unable to make the trip or failed to meet the deadline for filing applications.

They are from such countries as the Bonin Islands, Czechoslovakia, Lithuania, Pakistan and Russia, but they all have one thing in common:

They are now citizens of the United States.

They became citizens during a special ceremony today at the Hilton Hawaiian village Coral Ballroom. It was the largest naturalization ceremony ever held in Hawaii.

Federal Judge C. Nils Tavares presided.

The ceremony was timed to coincide with the first anniversary of the passage of Public Law 90-633, which waives residency and fee requirements as citizenship prerequisites for persons who have served with the armed forces in Vietnam or other combat areas.