Between 1942 and 1946, more than two million US servicemen served in New Zealand and the Pacific.
About 2000 children were fathered by servicemen who formed relationships with indigenous women.
On Anzac Day, through the years, there had been growing recognition of the role played by non-military personnel during war, Prof Bennett said.
University of Otago research was adding to awareness about the desire by many children of US servicemen to trace their fathers, who had often found it hard to return from the US and reconnect after the war was over, partly because of high transport costs.
US immigration restrictions also initially made it difficult to bring Pacific wives to the US.
Where relatives remained untraced, over many years, people felt "there's a gap in their life, a question mark".
"These people were, in a sense, victims of war," Prof Bennett said.
Pacific Island children of US servicemen had not become "emotional cripples" and had lived positive lives, but many felt something was missing and few had managed to trace their fathers.
She believed there was scope for US authorities, including officials responsible for military archives, to provide more active help, "as a goodwill gesture" to help Maori and Pacific people seeking members of extended family in the United States.
A study, titled "Mothers' Darlings", led by Prof Bennett and Dr Angela Wanhalla, of the University of Otago history and art history department, seeks to discover the histories of these children.
A total of 150 children of servicemen have already been interviewed for the study.
It has been backed by a $917,000 Marsden Fund grant and will be completed this year.
As a public service, Otago researchers late last year alsolaunched an internet site (www.otago.ac.nz/usfathers) so people could seek information about their US fathers.
Prof Bennett said the research programme would result in a book combining reflections of the children on the influence US servicemen on their lives.
It would make extensive use of photographs.
People had responded strongly to the research project, and to the related internet site. Researchers had received hundreds of emails.
