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This Week in Seabee History (Week of July 3)

July 4, 2016 | By Seabee Magazine
Consolidated by Dr. Frank A. Blazich Jr., Historian, U.S. Navy Seabee Museum

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VIRIN: 160629-N-ZY182-2779

This World War II-era advertisement showcased the Seabees' rhino ferry. It was a huge barge constructed from pontoons with two propelling units. In the first 10 days of the invasion of Normandy, 85 percent of all vehicular equipment was transported to shore using the rhino ferry. It was critical to defeating the Germans and proved to be a "bridge to victory," as the ad says. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum)

July 3

1965:Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 10 completes construction of the 8,000-foot Short Airfield for Tactical Support at Chu Lai, Republic of Vietnam, for the 1st Marine Air Wing. 2013: Lt. Cmdr. Jason Fahy, Civil Engineer Corps (CEC),relieved Lt. Cmdr. Charles Kubic, CEC,as commanding officer of Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 2, at the commands headquarters at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Port Hueneme, California.

July 4

1942: Advance Base Depot (ABD), Davisville, Rhode Island, formally commissioned. 1968: Twelve Seabees reportedto the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) for duty with Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 302 two days late. While bound for Vietnam, the aircraft was forced down by Russian jets on a small island near Japan. The American crew and passengers were detained for 48 hours before the U.S. military-chartered aircraft was released by the Russians. The incident occurred because the Russians claimed the aircraft had violated Soviet air space.

July5

1942: The 4th Naval Construction Battalion (NCB) arrived at Dutch Harbor, Alaska. This was the first Seabee battalion to arrive in that area. Because of the variety of construction needs in Alaska, the battalion was employed at three different locations: one detachment of approximately 200 men went to Eider Point; another detachment of about 350 men went to Unalaska Village on Unalaska Island; and the remaining men were quartered in the Fort Mears Area on Amaknak Island. 1943: The 95th NCB was commissioned at Naval Construction Training Center (NCTC), Camp Peary, Magruder, Virginia. 1966: A change of command for NMCB 6 was held with Cmdr. J.D. Day Jr., Civil Engineer Corps (CEC), relieving Lt. Cmdr. H.A. Tombari, CEC. 1970: At an awards ceremony in Davisville, Rhode Island, the 21st Naval Construction Regiment (NCR) and 20th NCR, and Commander, Construction Battalions, Atlantic (COMCBLANT) were awarded the Navy Meritorious Unit Citation for meritorious service from September 1,1965 to December 31, 1969.

July 6

1944: ACORN 9 was decommissioned. (Used during World War II, an ACORN was a tailored unit designed to carry out the rapid construction and subsequent operation of a landplane and seaplane advance base. Each ACORN had a construction battalion attached to it, as well as trained personnel to operate the control tower, field lighting, aerological unit, transportation, medical, berthing and messing facilities. A CBMU also accompanied each ACORN to maintain the base after the initial construction was completed and the construction battalion had been withdrawn. During the war, ACORNs were sent to such places at Guadalcanal, Espiritu Santo, Green Island, Rendova, Treasury Island and Majuro.) 1945: The 51st NCR was commissioned. 1953: NMCB 11 was activated.

July7

1968: Cmdr. L.D. Lawson, CEC, relieved Cmdr. R.B. Wilson, CEC, for NMCB 7. 2009: NMCB 11 presented the battalion colors at Camp Mitchell, Rota, Spain, reestablishing the base after closing down Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. 2011: Cmdr. James (Gordie) Meyer, CEC, relieved Cmdr. Jayson Mitchell, CEC, as commanding officer of NMCB 7 during a change of command ceremony at Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Mississippi.

July8

1945: The 50th NCR was commissioned. 2016: Cmdr. James Cho, CEC, relieved Cmdr. Jeffrey Lengkeek, CEC,as commanding officer of NMCB 4 during a change of command ceremony aboard Camp Shields in Okinawa, Japan.

July9

1942: The 12th NCB was commissioned at Camp Bradford, Norfolk, Virginia. 1967: At a dedication ceremony, the NMCB 9 campsite was named in honor of Utilitiesman Plumber 2nd Class James Miller, who was mortally wounded on February 6, 1967.

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