EckerNet.Com

On this day in 1941, Rear Admiral Ben Moreell requested authority to create a Construction Battalion. This unit would later become known as “The Seabees”, and would be capable of building everything from roads to airfields to ports facilities under combat conditions. Many were taken from a construction background and trained as infantry, and frequently had to fight as infantry through WWII.

They were present at virtually every operation in WWII, including the first US offensive in the Pacific on Guadacanal and the invasion of Normandy. In those operations, their feats were hardly trivial, including the huge airfields and support facilities necessary for the operation of the B-29 Superfortress bombers from Guam, Saipan, and Tinian. Other times their projects allowed for the very survival of the infantry they accompanied.

Since World War II, they have served in every major conflict in our nations history, including Korea, Vietnam, and both Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Today they continue to serve in Iraq helping to make Iraq as livable as possible for US forces and Iraqi civilians. A good friend of mine in fact will be part of a Seabee deployment to Iraq very soon. Wish both him and his fellow Seabees the best on their anniversary.

NOTE : It has been pointed out to me that this is not the actual anniversary of the birth of the Seabees. Merely the anniversary of when authorization was approved….which if you read the actual post, is what I clearly state. My apologies to everyone that only reads the title…..which means you aren’t reading this….oh well, it’s the thought.