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The Seabees- "We Build, We Fight!"
Because civilians couldn't be used due to International laws, the Navy needed a Militarized Construction Force to build advance bases in World War Two. Rear Admiral Ben Moreell was tasked to form a Construction Battalion, or CB, which is where the unit got it's name. Admiral Moreell gave the newly formed Seabees their motto- "We Build, We Fight" Construimus, Batuimus, and the unit was born. To form the Seabees, recruits were sought who needed little or no training. After all, there wasa war on, and it was under different conditions than we had ever fought before. Recruits came from all walks of construction life, including men who built Boulder Dam. All in all, over 325,000 men joined the Seabees and their efforts in both the Atlantic and Pacific theatres made our victory possible. Typical of the Seabee spirit, the first decorated Seabee hero of the war, Seaman 2nd Class Lawrence C. "Bucky" Meyer, USNR, was among the Seabees of the 6th battalion who worked on Henderson Field. In his off-time, he salvaged and repaired an abandoned machine gun, which, on 3 October 1942, he used to shoot down a Japanese Zero fighter making a strafing run. For this exploit, he was awarded the Silver Star. It was, however, a posthumous award, for 13 days after shooting down the plane, "Bucky" Myer was killed in action when the gasoline barge on which he was working was struck by Japanese naval gunfire. It was during the landing on Treasury Island in the Solomons, on 28 November 1943, that Fireman 1st Class Aurelio Tassone, USNR, of the 87th Naval Construction Battalion created that legendary figure of the Seabee astride his bulldozer rolling over enemy positions. Tassone was driving his bulldozer ashore during the landing when Lieutenant Charles E. Turnbull, CEC, USNR, told him a Japanese pillbox was holding up the advance from the beach. Tassone drove his dozer toward the pillbox, using the blade as a shield, while Lieutenant Turnbull provided covering fire with his carbine. Under continuous heavy fire, Tassone crushed the pillbox with the dozer blade, killing all 12 of its occupants. For this act Tassone was awarded the Silver Star. Although Seabees were only supposed to fight to defend what they built, such acts of heroism were numerous. In all, Seabees earned 33 Silver Stars and 5 Navy Crosses during World War II. But they also paid a price: 272 enlisted men and 18 officers killed in action. In addition to deaths sustained as a result of enemy action, more than 500 Seabees died in accidents, for construction is essentially a hazardous business. The Seabees have participated in every major conflict since. In Korea, they performed acts that facilitated the UN. During Operation Deep Freeze in Antartica, they build a 200 foot runway. In Scotland, they created a floating drydock and service facility for Polaris submarines. In Viet Nam, before the conflict, they started as part of Task Force 90's "Passage to Freedom. During the conflict, they were invaluable in constructing support systems and bases, including some crucial locations to support the Special Forces. Since then the Seabees have modernized, increased their battle readiness profile, and participated in every action of the combined military from the invasion of Granada to disaster relief in major floods and hurricanes. Their "Can Do" attitude has served the military well, and they stand ready to serve in time of war or time of peace. Many thanks to Dr. Vincent A. Transano, command historian of the Naval Engineering Command. For a more detailed history, go to http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq67-1.htm | |
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