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THIS WEEK IN SEABEE HISTORY (Week of Nov. 1)

Nov. 2, 2015 | By Seabee Magazine

Consolidated by Dr. Frank A. Blazich Jr., Historian,U.S. Navy Seabee Museum

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VIRIN: 151102-N-ZY182-0828

Cmdr. Jennifer Donahue, NMCB 25 commanding officer, and CMC (SCW) Michael Helgeson case the battalion colors during the NMCB 25 casing of the colors ceremony, New Kabul Compound, Afghanistan, Nov. 1, 2014. The event ceremoniously brought an end to NMCB 25s operations in Afghanistan, as well as 13 years of Naval Construction Force operations in the country. (Photos by MC1 Patrick Gordon)

November 1

1943:Aviation, Construction, Ordnance, Repair, Navy (ACORN) 15 arrived at Noumea, New Caledonia.ACORNs were advanced base units consisting of combat aircraft service personnel and a Seabee detachment. Their responsibility was the construction, administration, operation, and maintenance ofnew or existing airfields during World War II.

1945: After World War II, several naval activities were transferred to or established at Port Hueneme, California. The Advance Base Proving Grounds at Davisville, Rhode Island was disestablished and the operations, men, and equipment were transferred to Port Hueneme, later known as the Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory.

1945: 76th Naval Construction Battalion (NCB) inactivated on Guam.

1960: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 8 reactivated.

1965: The first units of 300 Seabee-built homes at the U.S. Naval Station Rota, Spain opened to occupancy through a joint effort of NMCBs 4, 7 and 8. Construction commenced on the housing project in July 1964.

1966: Seabee Team 0909 completed training at the 31st NCR and deployed to Thailand via C-130 aircraft. NMCB 3 advance party departed for the continental United States (CONUS).

1967: Ghost Battalion disestablished in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN). Cmdr. Foley returned and resumed command of NMCB 3.

1967: Seabee Team 0911 completed training at the 31st Naval Construction Regiment (NCR) and deployed to Thailand via C-118 aircraft.

1967: Seabee Team 5801 graduated from Seabee Team training, and was assigned to Officer in Charge (OIC), Construction Battalions, Pacific Detachment (CBPAC), RVN, deploying to Chau Doc.

1967: NMCB 40 relieved NMCB 71 at Chu Lai,RVN.

1969: Seabee Team 5301 arrived at Davisville, Rhode Island from Vietnam for reassignment to NMCB 53.

1973: CNO declares UCT 1 and UCT 2 independent, under the 21st and 31st NCRs.

2014: NMCB 25 officially concluded battalion operations in Afghanistan with the casing of its colors in a ceremony at New Kabul Compound, Afghanistan. This ended 13 years of Naval Construction Force operations in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. READ MORE

November 2

1942:The offices of Director, Atlantic Division and Director, Pacific Division, Bureau of Yards and Docks were established with the Director given authority to act for the Chief of the Bureau.

November 3

1942:36th NCB arrives at Camp Peary, Magruder, Virginia, the first Seabee unit to train at the camp.

1945:117th NCB inactivated at Saipan.

1968:Seabee Team 0310 moved from Long Xuyen to Bac Lieu, RVN via convoy.

1969:NMCB 1 deployed from Camp Campbell, Phu Bai, RVN to Camp Haskins North, Da Nang, RVN. NMCB 1 relieved of command of Camp Campbell by Headquarters Company, 101st Airborne Division. NMCB 1 assumed command of Camp Haskins North from NMCB 53.

November4

1942:Camp Peary established inWilliamsburg, Virginia, named in honor of Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary, Civil Engineer Corps (CEC), U.S. Navy.

1944: 6th NCR inactivated.

November 5

1945:9th Naval Construction Brigade inactivated.

1971:Seabee Teams 1019 and 1020 were disestablished. Seabee Teams 1021 and 1022 were established and organized with the 31st NCR Port Hueneme, California.

2004:Rear Adm.Robert L. Phillips, CEC, USN, relieved Rear Adm.Charles R. Kubic, CEC, USN, as Commander, First Naval Construction Division at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Norfolk, Virginia.

November 6

1942: 40th NCB commissioned at Camp Endicott, Davisville, Rhode Island.

November 7

1971:Seabees of NMCB5 arrived at their homeport of Port Hueneme, California. This was the last full battalion to depart from Vietnam. Their departure marked the end of a significant chapter in the Seabee effort in Vietnam, an effort which began at Chu Lai in 1965 and resulted in the construction of approximately $200 million worth of facilities in support of U.S. forces.

November8

1942:The Seabees encountered their first combat in the European Theater of Operations when they landed with the assault forces on the beaches of North Africa. The Seabees built facilities at Oran, Casablanca, Safi, and Fedala. Later, as the American Army moved across Africa toward Tunisia and the final showdown with the Germans, the Seabees built staging and training areas along the coast as far as Arzeu. On the west coast of Africa, the Seabees built a huge Naval Air Station in Port Lyautey, Morocco and supplementary air and supply bases at Agadir and Casablanca. Through these later ports poured materials, men, and equipment needed for the coming invasion of Sicily and the Italian mainland.

1944:13th NCR inactivated.

1945:20th NCB inactivated on Okinawa.

1969:Seabee Teams 1113 and 1114 transferred to NMCB 3 to become Seabee Teams 0315 and 0316, respectively, due to disestablishment of NMCB 11.

1971:Seabee Teams 1021 and 1022 commenced Seabee Team training.

 

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