An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

THIS WEEK IN SEABEE HISTORY

July 20, 2015 | By donrochon

Consolidated by Dr. Frank A. Blazich Jr., Historian, Naval History and Heritage Command

9856
VIRIN: 150720-N-ZZ182-9856
Hollywood star Susan Hayward dishes up chow at the final party given for Seabees at Camp Pendleton by Republic Studios after wrapping up production of the movie, The Fighting Seabees, in 1943. (Photo courtesy of the Seabee Museum)

July 19

1968: NMCB 7's main body, consisting of 11 officers and 491 enlisted men, was airlifted from Davisville, R.I. to Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam (RVN) aboard eight C-141 aircraft provided by the Military Airlift Command and shuttled from there to Dong Ha Combat Base, RVN, on C-130 aircraft provided by the 7th Air Force.

July 20

1943: MM3c Richard M. Maurer of Naval Construction Battalion 63 was cited for the Navy Silver Star following an attack near Bairoka Harbor, Munda by the 1st Marine Raider Regiment. A resident of Seattle, Wash. before becoming a member of the 63rd Battalion, Maurer had made many friendships among the Marine Raiders when they were encamped close to the Seabees on Guadalcanal. When the Raiders embarked for their historic attack, Maurer slipped aboard without the permission of his superior officers. The gravity of his offense, for which he was ultimately brought to trial, was extenuated, however, by his gallant actions during the attack. From Marine sources, it was learned that Maurer, after attaching himself to a machine gun crew, had serviced and manned the gun with devastating effect upon the enemy when all other members of the crew had been killed or disabled by mortar fire. He continued by his gun until reinforcements arrived. The Marine officer in charge was enthusiastic in his praise of Maurer s performance and it was he who instituted citation proceedings.

1945: 63rd NCB inactivated at Manila, Philippines.

1968: Cmdr. L.D. Lawson, CEC, USN, relieved Cmdr. R.B. Wilson, CEC, USN, as NMCB 7 relieved NMCB 5 at Camp Barnes, Dong Ha Combat Base, RVN.

1968: Main body of NMCB 7 departed Davisville, R.I. for duty at Dong Ha, RVN.

1969: Camp Campbell, Phu Bai, RVN was officially turned over by NMCB 40 to NMCB 1.

July 21

1969: Main body of NMCB 40 arrived at Davisville, R.I. from Phu Bai, RVN.

July 22

1943: 109th NCB formed at NCTC Camp Peary, Magruder, Va.

1968: Master Chief William H. Shannon became the first Seabee Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commander of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command and Chief of the Navy Civil Engineers. As advisor to the NAVFAC Commander, Shannon acted as a point of contact at the Command Headquarters for all Group VIII personnel in the field.

July 23

1943: 111th NCB commissioned at NCTC Camp Peary, Magruder, VA.

July 24

1940: Rear Admiral Ben Moreell approves plans for Naval Air Station, Quonset Point, R.I. This will later become the first home for the Naval Construction Force in 1941.

1944: Tinian was invaded by United States Marines, accompanied by the 18th and 121st NCBs. On D-Day (June 6, 1944), Seabees brought their bulldozers and pontoon causeways ashore, but because Tinian s narrow beaches were covered with low coral cliffs, the Seabees devised and operated special movable raps called Doodlebugs. These Doodlebugs made the landings possible.

1967: Lt. Cmdr J.E. McNeill, CEC, USN relieved Lt. Cmdr. T.F. Stallman as executive officer, NMCB 4.

1967: Seabee Team 7101 departed Chu Lai for Davisville, R.I. for formal Seabee Team Training.

1971: Seabee Team 0108 arrived at Davisville, R.I. from Palau, Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, for reassignment to NMCB 1.

July 25

1943: 90th NCB activated at NCTC Camp Peary, Magruder, Va.

1945: 49th NCB inactivated at Guam.

2014: NMCB 74 decommissioned at CBC, Gulfport, Miss.

Feb. 20, 2024

This Week in Seabee History: February 19-25

Consolidated by U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Naval History and Heritage CommandFebruary 191943: 120th

Feb. 20, 2024

This Week in Seabee History: February 12-18

Consolidated by U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Naval History and Heritage CommandFebruary 121951: Naval

Feb. 8, 2024

This Week in Seabee History: February 5-11

Consolidated by U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Naval History and Heritage CommandFebruary 61943: 85th

Feb. 8, 2024

This Week in Seabee History: January 29 - February 4

Consolidated by U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Naval History and Heritage CommandJanuary 291944: 146th

Feb. 8, 2024

his Week in Seabee History: January 22-28

Consolidated by U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Naval History and Heritage CommandJanuary 221943: 76th

Feb. 8, 2024

his Week in Seabee History: January 15-21

January 151943: 4th Naval Construction Regiment (NCR) commissioned.1944: 21st and 22nd NCRs

Feb. 8, 2024

This Week in Seabee History: January 8-14

Consolidated by U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Naval History and Heritage CommandJanuary 81943: 64th Naval

Feb. 8, 2024

This Week in Seabee History January 1-7

Consolidated by U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Naval History and Heritage CommandJanuary 11946: The

Feb. 8, 2024

This Week in Seabee History December 25-31

Consolidated by U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Naval History and Heritage CommandDecember 25December

Dec. 21, 2023

This Week in Seabee History-December 18 - 24

Consolidated by U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Naval History and Heritage CommandDecember 181942: 49th