seabee quarterly (nov)

November 2010 Gulfport, Mississippi Volume 16 Issue 4.A p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e C E C / S e a b e e H i s t o r i c a l F o u n d a t i o n I n c .

THE SEABEEQUARTERLY

“Perpetuating the ‘CAN DO’ legacy of the Civil Engineer Corps and Seabees and enriching their heritagethrough premier museum facilities and educational programs.”

uesday Oct. 5 marked another major milestone in providing a new museum to tell the Seabee story as the construction contractor, RQ Construction, presented the stunning new building to the Navy. The event was marked by an open

house from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., and hundreds of eager visitors toured the new building.

Large renderings depicting how the completed galleries will appear were mounted on walls throughout the exhibit area, and a hint of things to come was provided by a 1940s-era Caterpillar D7 bulldozer prepositioned in the Pacific-area section of the World War II gallery. A Humvee back from Seabee use in Iraq also was in position in the We Build, We Fight gallery.

Later that day, a second group gathered at a reception in the Grand Hall from 5 to 7 p.m., as the Foundation expressed its appreciation to local supporters who helped make the new building a reality. Donors and other supporters came from throughout California, with some

coming from Arizona. News coverage was provided by local television station KADY, whose camera crew interviewed Museum Director Lara Godbille and Foundation President Bill Hilderbrand. Coverage also included a detailed interview with World War II Seabee Chief Carpenter’s Mate Clarence Homersen, who served with the ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINTH Naval Construction Battalion (129 NCB), and interviews with several Vietnam veterans.

In his remarks to the group, Foundation Chairman Rear Adm. Ben Montoya thanked all those present and the thousands who could not be there for their belief in the project and their contributions that made it possible. He also spoke briefly about the remaining challenge to obtain the $9 million required for the exhibits and displays.

“Our exhibits contractor, Lexington Design and Fabrication, has completed nearly all of the hundreds of pages of design for the new exhibits and displays and is ready to start work,” Montoya said.

T

continued on Page 3 ...

Rendering of the new Seabee Museum. Courtesy of Lexington

Navy Accepts New Museum BuildingExhibit Work to Start

2 The Seabee Quarterly November 2010

The Seabee Quarterly is a publication of theCEC/Seabee Historical Foundation Inc.

P.O. Box 657, Gulfport, MS 39502-0657

(228) 865-0480

www.seabeehf.org [email protected]

Editor........Capt. William HilderbrandManaging Editor / Design and Production........Michelle Fayard

s you have read in our feature article, the beautiful Seabee Museum building is open for

public viewing. Collective thanks go to all who made this possible.

The last few weeks have seen me on the trail visiting donors and speaking to groups about our Seabees and the project to tell and preserve their story. Included among the stops was the annual NMCB 3 reunion in Kansas City. I saw some new faces and revisited some old stories, which each year take on a new glow. The stories are more a reflection of the storyteller—a Seabee recalling a long-ago event in a faraway place.

After spending two days with the men of THREE, I shared with them how the years had changed our relationship—for the better. When we met in the ’60s I, was a 30-year-old lieutenant among many newly shaving 18- to 20-year old Seabees. Now we meet all seemingly the same age with no rank or rate, just a group of guys bound by a common commitment made many years ago. The bond was strong enough to bring us together from all parts of the country each year.

The past few weeks also have found me in a number of other museums, always comparing what others have done with what we are doing. I was in the President Truman Library, the World War I Museum, the Grand Teton National Park Visitor’s Center and the Naval Academy Museum. The Naval Academy Museum presented me with the stark reality of my stage in life when I saw a classmate already enshrined. The Truman Library and the World War I Museum were enjoyable relearning experiences from the tidbits I had been taught in my early education years.

The benefit of these museums and their vibrant storytelling created in me a renewal of the spirit that made our country so special. I thought of my Seabee shipmates and the stories we had been sharing, wishing we could share them with more of our fellow citizens.

Hopefully, our new Museum will fulfill that dream!

A

Rear Adm. Benjamin F. Montoya CEC, USN (Ret.)

From the Chair’s Desk

n a recent visit to the Seattle area, some free time enabled me to make a visit to Port Townsend, Wash., in the company of retired Capt. Tex Lewis and

retired Cmdr. Jim Stark. There I saw firsthand how much the town reveres and celebrates Construction Mechanic 3rd Class (CM3) Marvin Shields, the only Seabee to be awarded the Medal of Honor. It was a visit that will stay with me for a long time. If any of you visit the area, make time for a trip to Port Townsend. My hat is off to the members of Island X-4 and the time and effort they put into honoring Marvin Shields.

Another memorable occasion occurred Oct. 5 when I joined Foundation Chairman Rear Adm. Ben Montoya and more than 100 others to tour the newly completed home for the Seabee Museum, as the construction contractor turned it over to the Navy. The contractor, RQ Construction, did outstanding work, and the $12 million facility will provide an unparalleled home for the exhibits and displays that will tell the Seabee and CEC stories. Our challenge now is to secure the $9 million required for the construction and installation of those exhibits and displays. If you want a preview of how the completed Museum will look, go to www.seabeehf.org/museum for a virtual tour.

I send a sincere a thank you to those of you who have already responded to our Year End Giving request. As I noted in our August issue, the response to this request is the primary determinant of what we will be able to do next year to support all of you as we push to make sure the story of the Seabees is not forgotten. If you have not yet responded, please make a note to not forget us. A good way to do that is to locate the response form and send it in now with your contribution.

As the year comes to a close, I wish each of you the best the holidays can bring, and I hope that each of you can share the holiday celebrations with your family and loved ones.

The President ReportsCapt. Bill Hilderbrand, CEC, USN (Ret.)

O

Korean War Artifacts Sought

Seabee veterans of the Korean War are asked to contact the Foundation if they have artifacts that they wish to donate to the Seabee Museum. Although the Museum has a great many artifacts from that engagement, additional items would enhance the options to choose from, as the focus narrows on presenting the story of the Seabee effort in Korea.

Individuals wishing to donate items can call Foundation President Bill Hilderbrand at (228) 865-0480 or send a message to [email protected].

November 2010 The Seabee Quarterly 3

New Museum to be Open on Limited BasisSeabee Museum Director Lara Godbille has announced that the newly

completed building for the Museum will be open to visitors on a limited basis while the new exhibits and displays are being fabricated and installed.

“We realize that there is great interest in the new building by Seabees and supporters everywhere,” Godbille said. “Although the completed Museum won’t fully open for approximately a year, we want visitors in the interim to be able to have a look at what is coming.”

The museum staff will be heavily engaged in the coming months with moving about 12,000 artifacts and thousands of linear feet of archival material from the old building to the collection storage area in the new building, Godbille added. Staff also will need to relocate their offices and work areas.

The renderings on this page depict how two of the galleries will look in the new Seabee Museum. Courtesy of Lexington

“However, we will provide public access to the new building the first and third Tuesday and first Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” Godbille said. “As work begins on the actual installation of exhibits in a gallery, there may be restrictions on access by visitors to those areas.”

Visiting hours also can be found on the Museum’s Web site, www.usnavyseabeemuseum.com.

... continued from Page 1

Visitors enter an island in the South Pacific. It is dusk, but

the scene is still filled with activity. Overhead, the life-cast figure of a Seabee clings to a palm tree, rigging electrical wire and Coke bottle insulators. To one side, another Seabee straddles the ribs of a Quonset hut, arm raised mid-swing, while clutching a hammer. The rasp of saws and clang of other tools mingles with the distant rattle of machine gunfire and incoming shells.

In the distance, a mural portrays a beautiful South Pacific scene—a 6,000-foot airstrip disappearing into the sunset, with a fleet of fighter planes lining one side of the runway. Nearby, a bulldozer is perched on a heap of earth, with its blade facing visitors. Project imagery on the blade reveals CEC and Seabee construction activity

and battle scenes from islands all across the Pacific Ocean.

Visitors step inside the “Tiki Bar” and find themselves in a bar for enlisted Seabees, replete with a hand-painted beer keg, Victrola, and period posters and memorabilia. As visitors “belly-up” to the bar, they hear the voices of Seabees telling “war stories” to one another and find snapshots of the period under the glass on the bar.

Inside a partially built Quonset Hut, the crates and supplies are stacked in piles around the scene, and visitors discover that they conceal artifact cases, text, and graphics detailing the South Pacific story—Guadalcanal, Tinian, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Tarawa. Visitors round another corner and are relieved to see a billboard-sized reproduction of the long-awaited newspaper headline: “Victory!”

Pacific ROADS

Visitors exit the Five Roads and find themselves stepping

onto the beach at Normandy, a few hours after the initial assault. The noise of gunfire and artillery is pervasive. A mural portrays a view down the beach, with a massive Naval force moving in on the left and the enemy positioned in the cliffs to the right. Projected explosions make the environment even more dramatic. Examining the scene more closely, visitors uncover evidence of the Seabees already hard at work.

Moving on, visitors see video clips of the preparations off the coast of Normandy, where Seabees built the offshore Mulberry Harbor, complete with cargo and docking facilities, piers, and breakwaters. Stacks of supplies are laid out in an orderly fashion. Text, graphics, and artifacts hidden within the obstacles on the

beach reveal the extensive role of the Seabees in the invasion that morning. Seabees were among the first ashore, as members of the critical Naval Combat Demolition Units that destroyed enemy barriers on the beaches. Some 10,000 Seabees assembled the pontoon causeways that would carry Allied troop and tanks ashore. Others manned the Rhino ferries that brought men and supplies to the beaches in the early hours.

Visitors wind their way through supplies, “barbed wire,” and debris, and then round a corner into a bombed-out cityscape en route to the Rhine River crossing. Images displayed on scrim in the gaping holes of the buildings convey the efforts of the Seabees to rebuild harbors and infrastructures, to keep the Allied forces effective during the drive to Berlin.

Atlantic ROADS


CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

NEW SEABEE MUSEUM

New supporters interested in ensuringthe Port Hueneme Seabee Museum

project becomes a reality continue to step forward and add their efforts to our capital campaign. Welcome aboard with

our sincerest thanks!

Silver Seabee$100,000-$249,999

LT John R. Towers

Bronze Seabee$50,000-$99,999

Willbros

Major Donor$10,000-$49,999

CAPT Neil Block CAPT Lawrence H. Burks

HBG Flatiron Inc. Mr. Leonard F. LaNoue

MCB 1

Campaign Patron$1,000-$9,999

EQCM Charles A. Blanding CAPT Oscar E. Hensgen

Mr. Delano R. Spell Ms Jackqualynn A. Stevens

Campaign Partner$500-$999

BU2 Guy M. Carleton Mr. & Mrs. Gene Schrader

Campaign Sponsor$250-$499

Mr. Edward Enzinger Stupp Bros Inc. Bridge & Iron Co

University Mechanical

Campaign Associate$100-$249

CM2 Teddy L. Allen Mr. & Mrs. Rod P. Perry

Campaign Worker$1-$99

Mr. Jerry A. Braswell Mr. & Mrs. Eldon W. Foster Mr. & Mrs. Dale L. Huffine CDR Geldard H. Woerner

TRuSTEE SuPPORT ClIMBS TO AlMOST $2 MIllION

Board member John Towers recently announced an increase of $25,000 in his support for the new Seabee Museum.

“This brings the total support from the Board of Trustees to $1,932,777,” said Foundation President Bill Hilderbrand. “It is clear that the Trustees believe deeply in the project and are willing to lead by example.”

WIllBROS PlEDgES $50,000 TO NEW MuSEuM

Randy Harl, Chief Executive Officer of Willbros, recently announced the company has pledged $50,000 toward the construction of the new Seabee Museum at Port Hueneme, Calif.

The Houston-based company had more than $1 billion in revenues in 2009 and is a world leader in providing services to the oil and gas industry. North America is their primary area of operation, but they also work around the world including South America, Africa, the Mideast, Australia and Russia. They provide engineering, construction, operation and maintenance services to the industry.

“Willbros is proud to help and support your efforts,” Harl said. “Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this event.”

FlATIRON SuPPORT INCREASES TO $36,000

Flatiron Construction Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer, Bob French, has announced a $10,000 donation to the new Seabee Museum project. This increases Flatiron’s total support for the new Museum to $36,000.

Based in Longmont, Colo., the construction firm provides heavy civil construction services throughout the United States and Canada. Flatiron’s core competencies include major bridge,

highway and rail projects. One of the largest transportation and infrastructure contractors in the nation, Flatiron had revenues in 2009 in excess of $1 billon. Flatiron’s parent company, HOCHTIEF, is one of the world’s largest construction companies with more than 52,000 employees.

“The Seabee story is a great story and deserves to be told,” said French. “We are pleased to be able to help.”

lANOuE PlEDgES $10,000

World War II Seabee Leonard LaNoue has declared his support for the new Seabee Museum at Port Hueneme, Calif., with a pledge of $10,000.

LaNoue began his Seabee service with the ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-THIRD Naval Construction Battalion (133 NCB) in 1943. He transferred later that year to the FIFTY-EIGHTH Naval Construction Battalion (58 NCB), where he spent the rest of his service as the battalion saw duty throughout the South Pacific, ending the war on Okinawa.

Returning to the states after the war, LaNoue eventually settled in the Houston area, where he founded Metal Cutting Specialists. The family-owned and operated business is the largest sawing facility in the United States and is known as the market leader.

LaNoue is the Chief Executive Officer of Metal Cutting Specialists. He and his wife spend part of their time in Chile.

MCB 1 PlEDgES $10,000

At their recent reunion in Saint Charles, Mo., the attending members of the Mobile Construction Battalion ONE (MCB 1) voted to support the new Seabee Museum project at Port Hueneme, Calif., with a pledge of $10,000. Reunion organizer Peter Dowd indicated the pledge will be met through donations and commitments by members of MCB 1 and other veterans of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ONE (NMCB 1).

ONE is the 15th battalion to step forward with a pledge of support for the new Museum. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SIX (NMCB 6) is the current leader among the battalions, having pledged or donated more than $59,858.


his past Memorial Day, the citizens of Port Townsend, Wash., joined with members of NSVA Island X-4, Silverdale, Wash., to celebrate the culmination of

several weeks of effort to restore an interpretive sign honoring Construction Mechanic 3rd Class (CM3) Marvin Shields, the only Seabee to receive the Medal of Honor. Shields grew up in the area and was a 1958 graduate of Port Townsend High School.

The pride that the town has in one of their sons was evident as citizens stepped forward to donate funds and assist with the landscaping, digging and grading. The memorial is adjacent to the Port Townsend American Legion post named for Shields.

The memorial area also displays artifacts from the USS Marvin Shields, the Navy destroyer named in honor of Shields. The artifacts became available when the ship was decommissioned.

Retired Capt. Tex Lewis coordinated with Shields’ widow, Joan Bennett, who lives in the area, to get photographs of Shields before he joined the Navy for use in the interpretive sign. Shields drove a logging truck and worked in a gold mine in Alaska before joining the Navy.

The Port Townsend cemetery is the location for Shields’ grave, which members of Island X-4 also carefully tend, as they do the memorial erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution on the highway entering the town from the south.

Shields Memorial Rededicated

Courtesy of Jennifer Jackson for Peninsula Daily News

This plaque in Port Townsend, Wash., commemorates the roots of Construction Mechanic 3rd Class (CM3) Marvin Shields, the only Seabee to receive the Medal of Honor.

Courtesy Joan Bennett, the widow of Construction Mechanic 3rd Class (CM3) Marvin Shields, provided the photos for this interpretive sign, which in on display in a memorial area commemorating the Medal of Honor recipient.

T

GENERALSUPPORT

Our deepest thanks go to the following for their generous support of our other efforts.

Worker$1-$99

CAPT James E. Bodamer Mr. Jerry A. Braswell

CMC John K. Brian Jr.Mr. John F. Dougherty

Mrs. Daphne M. Douglas LCDR George I. Engle Jr.BU3 Richard L. Forster

CECS Robert A. Garland CUCM Paul A. Hebert EA3 Gregory J. Keena

EOC Joseph J. Leonhart SWF2 Raymond C. Lindholm

Mr. Joe I. Lively Mr. Francis K. Mau

LCDR Stuart F. Mellon SWF2 John J. Molloy CM1 Bruce C. Orga

Mrs. Emily A. Rutkowski CAPT Richard R. Stapp

Mrs. Anita Tate Mrs. Jan B. Vanderstaay

LT Robert D. Walp

NEW LIFEMEMBERS

Mr. David W. Hilderbrand CM2 Philip Hueneme Hwang

CE2 P. Scott Knepper CM3c John W. Laverty CUCM Duane R. Vance

CORPORATEMEMBERS

We gratefully acknowledge the continued support provided by our corporate members who have renewed their support.

American Constructors Inc.AT&T

BE&K Government Group LLCBoyle Engineering Corp.Broaddus & Associates

Brown and CaldwellCaterpillar Inc.

Centerpoint Energy/EntexCIAP of NJ

Dick Construction Co.DMJM Harris

DMJM Holmes & Narver Inc.Engineering News Record

Farley Associates Inc.GEICO

International Union of Bricklayers and Allied

CraftworkersJames B. Pirtle

Construction Inc.KCI Technologies Inc.

Kiewit Construction CorporationParsons Brinckerhoff Inc.

PBS & JPNM Resources, Inc.

The Sun HeraldTidewater SkanskaTurner ConstructionUnity ConsultantsURS Corporation


- A -Mr. Rommel A. Andaya

- B -CAPT James E. Bodamer

LT John E. Breen Mr. William Briggs IIIMrs. Michelle Brown

CWO4 Bernard M. Bunny

- C -Mrs. Cynthia Capulli

Ms Donette Reil Carpenter Mr. & Mrs. John P. Catrett

Mr. Peter T. Coleman EO2 Patrick E. Courtney

- D -CAPT Sarah S. Dahlgren

Mrs. Joan Dawson EOCN Gerald Decius Mr. Louis J. DiFilippo

- E -Mr. Robert J. Endres

BU2 Robert M. Euzebio

- F -EO3 Marvin Frederick

- g -Ms. Nancy L. Gajewski Mrs. Christel Gerdel Mrs. Nadine Gibson

Ms Alice Gidel Mrs. Janna Glasser

Mrs. Patricia A. Gorski SW3 Frank Gruber

Mr. & Mrs. Michael M. Gunter

- H -Mrs. Bridget Harman EA1 William T. Harris

Mrs. Beatrice June Hower CEC James H. Humphrey

- J -Mrs. Barbara J. Jones Mr. Dennis R. Jones

- K -Mrs. Lore Jean Kern

Mrs. Heather Kurpiewski

- M -Mrs. Dawn Maskell

EO3 & Mrs. Elmer J. Mason CUCM Duffy G. Miller

Mrs. Leanne Miller

- N -NNPU Reunion Group

NSVA Island X-23, Crystal River, FL

NSVA Island X-4, Silverdale, WA

- O -UCCM Bernard J. Obsincs

LCDR F. Merle Oxley

- P -LTCOL Edward J. Pagliassotti

Ms Tanya Ponder LT Jeremy R. Potts

- Q -CAPT Robert E. Quinn Jr.

- R -Mr. Robert A. Reidy

Mr. Brad E. Ring Mr. Larry W. Roach

Mr. Narciso Rodriquez

- S -BU2 Gary C. Sherer

CAPT Sherrill E. Smith CDR James R. Stark Mr. Stephen W. Surko

The Grasso-Schmitt family

- T -Mr. & Mrs. James Thomas

- V -Ms Dana Van Scoy

- W -BUC Ronald L. Weatherlow Sr.

CAMPAIGN: AUG. 28–NOV. 11NEW SEABEE MUSEUM BRICK

etired Rear Adm. Jon Ives has joined the Foundation Board of Trustees.

A Naval Academy graduate from the class of 1959, Ives served more than 31 years in the Civil Engineer Corps. His assignments included a tour as Executive Officer of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion THREE (NMCB 3) from 1968 to 1970, when the battalion made its last deployment to Vietnam and the following year deployed to Okinawa. He also had oversight of all Seabees in the Pacific from 1988 to 1990 when he was Commander, Construction Battalions Pacific (COMCBPAC).

After retiring from the Navy, Ives served as Associate Director for Conventional Construction at the Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory near Dallas. He later worked for Parsons Brinckerhoff, with the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and as a consultant to the University of California on the Project Management Panel of the President’s Council on the National Laboratories. Ives also is a consultant to the National Science Foundation.

Ives and his wife, Ann, live in Ventura, Calif.

Ives Joins Board of Trustees

R

ith contractor RQ Construction ready to place brick pavers in the entry walkway to the new Museum, the Foundation delivered a shipment of 4,100 memorial

bricks for placement starting at the doorway.“These were all the bricks that had been ordered as of this past

March, and it seemed the smart thing to do was to turn the order in to the manufacturer in March and have them delivered in time to be a part of the initial placement of the walkway pavers,” said Foundation President Bill Hilderbrand. “The locator system for finding a particular brick will be installed as a part of completing the Grand Hall, but in the meantime, visitors can stroll the walkway looking for their brick(s) the old-fashioned way. When installed, the new locator will be a computer kiosk with touch screen to enable an individual to determine the location of a brick.”

Bricks still are available and should be for some time. The Foundation plans to submit a new order to the manufacturer next summer and have that shipment in place by the end of the summer.

“As long as there is room, we will continue to offer the bricks, with orders being submitted to the manufacturer periodically,” Hilderbrand added.

First Bricks in PlaceW


Please send more information to me

about planned giving.

Name: ______________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________

City: _________________________________ State: ______ Zip: ______________

Phone: _______________________________

Mail to Estate and Gift Planning Advisor Peter Parady at Schoolhouse Corner,360 Eastern District Road, Danbury, NH 03830.

You also can call (603) 768-3686, send an e-mail message to [email protected] or visit the Seabee Estate and Gift Planning Web site at www.seabeegift.org.

he Legacy Battalion was formed with the intent to recognize, and thank, those CEC Officers and Seabees who have provided essential future support, primarily

through their wills, which will allow the CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation to carry on its mission.

The late Capt. Charles I. Bittenbring III joined the ranks of the Legacy Battalion when he continued his ongoing support for the Foundation through the bequests in his will.

The CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation also thanks the Bittenbring family for allowing it to provide the following brief account of Capt. Bittenbring’s service and personal accomplishments.

SERVICE WITH NAVy CONTINuED AFTER RETIREMENT

Capt.Bittenbring served on active duty for 23 years with the U.S. Navy as a civil engineer and a member of the Seabees. He was stationed in Omaha, Neb., and New Orleans as well as Naples, Italy, before being assigned to and settling in the Washington, D.C., area in 1963. He was the Deputy Director of Military Construction for the Department of Navy in a civilian capacity for an additional 11 years after retiring from the Navy.

In his private life, Capt. Bittenbring was a member and leader in the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Va., from 1963 onward. He was involved with the Boy Scouts of America for more than 45 years. In his later years he served on the Arlington County Commission on the Aging and with the American Association for Retired Persons as Chapter President, Northern Virginia District Director and State President. He graduated from Tulane University with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

Courtesy

Capt. Charles I. Bittenbring III is one of 19 known CEC/Seabee Legacy Battalion members who have made planned gifts to the CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation.

Legacy Battalion Member Recognized

SEABEE LEGACYT

Bittenbring Served with the Navy for More Than Two Decades


Four Major Benefits of Naming Us in Your Will1 A Gift in Your Will: Getting Started 1

1 S E A B E E L E G A C Y 1

MOVING?Take THE SEABEE QUARTERLY with you!

If you’re moving soon, complete the coupon below and mail to:The Seabee Quarterly

P.O. Box 657Gulfport, MS 39502-0657

Name: __________________________________________

Your New Address: ________________________________

City: _____________________ State: ____ Zip: ________

Or e-mail your new address to us at [email protected].

e hope you will consider including a gift to the CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation in your will or living trust. Called a charitable bequest, this type of gift offers these main benefits:

SimplicityJust a few sentences in your will or trust are all that is needed. The official bequest language for the CEC/Seabee Foundation to share with your attorney is: “I, (name), of (city, state zip), give, devise and bequeath to the CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation (written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property) for its unrestricted use and purpose.”

FlexibilityBecause you are not actually making a gift until after your lifetime, you can change your mind at any time.

VersatilityYou can structure the bequest to leave a specific item or amount of money, make the gift contingent on certain events, or leave a percentage of your estate to us.

Tax ReliefYour estate is entitled to an estate tax deduction* for the gift’s full value.

Putting Your Family FirstWhen planning your future gift, it’s sometimes difficult to determine what size donation will make sense. Emergencies happen, and you need to make sure your family is financially taken care of first. Including a bequest of a percentage of your estate ensures that your gift will remain proportionate no matter how your estate’s value fluctuates through the years.

We Can HelpContact Peter Parady, estate and gift-planning advisor, at (603) 768-3366 or [email protected] with any questions about naming the CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation in your will or living trust. We’re happy to help, without obligation. Information also is available at the Seabee Estate and Gift Planning Web site, www.seabeegift.org.

*Currently federal estate taxes are repealed for any deaths that occur in the calendar year 2010. In 2011 and beyond, estate taxes are reinstated in full. Congress, however, might reinstate federal estate taxes sometime in 2010. What the final legislation will look like is unknown at this point. Please check back for future updates.

W

T here is no better way to provide future income for you and your loved ones—and at the same time make sure the story of the Seabees and the Civil Engineer Corps never is forgotten—than by giving a planned gift to the CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation. Should you choose to plan a gift through your will or establish a gift annuity, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you have helped preserve and promote the Seabee Legacy.

H ave you made a planned gift? Let us know, so we can honor you as a Builder of the Future of the CEC/Seabee Legacy Battalion.


2011R E U N I O N S R E U N I O N S

Antarctic Deep Freeze Assoc.Gettysburg, PA21 – 24 JuneJerry (Mac) McKee331 Gum Tree RdCoatesville, PA [email protected]

CBD 1802—Same as NMCB 2 Korea Era

CBD 1804—Same as NMCB 2 Korea Era

CBMu 1—Same as NMCB 2 Korea Era



East Coast All Seabee ReunionHampton, VA25 – 27 FebruaryBruce MacDougall7305 Cannonade CourtMidlothian, VA 23112804-921-4753Seabeemacd40@verizon.netwww.vietnam-era-seabees.org

NMCB 1 Vietnam EraHampton, VA25 – 27 FebruaryPeter Dowd89 Edwards RoadMarshfield, MA [email protected]

NMCB 2 Korea EraSeattle, WA27 – 30 AugustScott Williams725 Summer Ridge DrVilla Rica, GA [email protected]

NMCB 40 / 40th NCB (All Eras) great lake ReunionNorthbrook, IL28 April – 1 MayEd HolstonPO Box 112Franklinville, NJ [email protected]

NMCB 62Hampton, VA25 – 27 FebruaryPrice Richardson411 Diamond RdSalem, VA [email protected]

NMCB 128Chicago, IL18 – 21 AugustJohn and Nancy York13456 Redberry CirclePlainfield, IL [email protected]

NMCB 128Two-week Alaska cruise (seven-day cruise follows seven-day land tour)16 – 29 May Jay and Rita Hrcsko3028 W Bangs AvenueNeptune, NJ [email protected]

PWD Edzell, ScotlandHampton, VA25 – 27 FebruaryNorm Hahn1805 Oaklawn DrEau Claire, WI [email protected]

3rd NCBg, 30th NCR, 31st NCR and 32nd NCRDan [email protected]

5th NCB (WW II)—Same as 67th NCB

7th NCR—Same as NMCB 12

18th NCB (WW II)Patsy and Betty [email protected]

20th NCB—Same as 36th NCB

21st NCR—Same as NMCB 12

24th Battalion at largeGeorge D. [email protected]

33rd NCB (WW II)Mrs. Paula [email protected]

36th NCB (WW II)Richard [email protected]

43rd NCBTony [email protected]

46th NCBAlice and Jerry [email protected]

62nd NCB (WW II)Joe Johansen303-949-3944

63rd NCBJohn [email protected]

67th NCB (WW II)Laurence [email protected]

72nd NCBRobert [email protected]

79th NCBFred [email protected]

96th NCB and affiliated unitsMeribeth Richardson251-661-1325

114th NCB (WW II)

George [email protected]

ACB 1 & 2Skip [email protected]

All Seabee ReunionPort Hueneme, CAEd [email protected]

All Seabee ReunionGulfport, MSUTCS Robert P. Smith228-424-1185 (cell)[email protected]

CBC Davisville, RI—Same as NMCB 12

R E U N I O N S p r i o r t o p u b l i c a t i o n

Continued on the next page


R E U N I O N S p r i o r t o p u b l i c a t i o n . . . c o n t i n u e d

CBMu 202—Same as NMCB 12

CBMu 301 & 302 (mini reunion)Dave [email protected]

CBMu 302 (CBMu 301 & 302nd NCB WW II invited to attend)Dave [email protected]

CBMu 627—Same as 114th NCB



CBu 408—Same as NMCB 12

Naval Beach group 1 (ACB 1)Gene Glasco, [email protected]

NMCB 3 (All eras mini reunion)Jeff [email protected]

NMCB 3 Veterans ReunionLee [email protected]

NMCB 4 (All eras)Dean [email protected]

NMCB 5 (Vietnam Era) Felix J. [email protected]

NMCB 6John Bevier231-633-9450(cell)[email protected]

NMCB 7 Annual ReunionDennis [email protected]

NMCB 8Ronald [email protected]

NMCB 10 (All eras), Seabee Team 1024 & 103rd NCBBill [email protected]

NMCB 11 / 11th NCBLarry Hagler [email protected]

NMCB 12 (All Seabees welcome)Bill Napert, [email protected]

NMCB 12 VietnamBob [email protected]

NMCB 13—Same as NMCB 12

NMCB 14 Alumni ReunionEOC Normand O. [email protected]

NMCB 14 / 14th NCBFred [email protected]

NMCB 16 (All Seabees welcome)Al [email protected]

NMCB 19 (All Seabees welcome)John [email protected]


NMCB 22Carlton [email protected]

NMCB 23 (All eras)Dave [email protected]


NMCB 53 (All Seabees welcome)Roger [email protected]

NMCB 58UCCM Ronald [email protected]

NMCB 62 mini reunionNorman [email protected]://nmcb62alumni.org

NMCB 71 / 71st NCB (All deployments)Jerry [email protected]

NMCB 74CDR Gordon D. Spence, [email protected]

NMCB 121 / 121st NCB / MCB 121 AssocMike [email protected]

NMCB 128George [email protected]

NMCB 133 (Mini Reunion)James E. [email protected]

NSA/NSF Danang & all DetJerry [email protected]

NSA/NSF DanangBernie [email protected]

NSA SaigonDave [email protected]

NSVA National Convention & Reunion hosted by Island X-2, Davenport, IAJoe [email protected]

NSVA Dept of Fl (State Convention) Hosted by NSVA Island X-23, FlJohn Lowe, [email protected]

OAEA (Old Antarctic Explorers Assoc.)John Lamont [email protected]

Retired Seabee ReunionUTCS Robert P. Smith228-424-1185 [email protected]

Seabee Team 0303 and friends (0301-0306) (Invited to attend: NMCB 3 – OKI – Thailand – RVN)George [email protected]

Seabee Team 0301—Same as Seabee Team 0303






Visit us online anytime! WWW.SEABEEMUSEUMSTORE.ORG Come back often for the latest Seabee Gear!

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During the last few months, Amphibious Construction Battalion ONE (ACB 1) has had a very high operational tempo, providing 78 sailors from both active and reserve components to Little Creek, Va., to assist Amphibious Construction

Battalion TWO (ACB 2) in building an Elevated Causeway System-Modular (ELCAS).

This summer Bravo Company, with support from Alfa Company, conducted biweekly Beach Group Integrated Training Exercise (BITE) operations and performed two roll-on/roll-off discharge facility exercises, which interfaced with large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships USNS Pililaau (T-AKR 304) and USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR-300).

ACB 1’s Charlie Company detachment of Seabees on the military sealift command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) participated in Pacific Partnership 10. The detachment was very successful in completing numerous projects including a new 21- by 20-foot head and a 1,200-liter concrete septic tank in six days. They also erected a 6-meter water tower, repaired a fire-damaged health clinic, and refurbished a school house—including the floors and roof—in Papua New, Guinea. While back at home, the rest of Charlie Company has been busy rehabilitating Bravo and Charlie’s spaces around the battalion.

ACB 1’s Officers and Chief Petty Officers participated in their annual khaki Field Exercise (FEX) Oct. 3 through 7 at Camp Pendleton, Calif., where Unified Industries Incorporated (UII) and ACB 1’s Training Department trained and honed ACB 1’s leaders in Basic Combat Skills (BCS). ACB 1 took 15 motivated members from different companies to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, where they conducted BCS II training Oct. 12 through 15.

The command sent a 40-person detachment to San Francisco’s Fleet Week via the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) with five pieces of Civil Engineering Support Equipment (CESE) and a static arrangement including a field kitchen and a photo display to demonstrate ACB 1’s Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities.

Oct. 16 through 19, ACB 1—along with personnel from Commander Naval Beach Group ONE (CNBG 1), Assault Craft Unit ONE (ACU 1) and Beach Master Unit ONE (BMU 1)—executed and supported 24-hour operations for a floating causeway exercise with Expeditionary Warfare Training Group, Pacific (EWTGPAC).

ACB 1 has a rotating 20-person detachment, assigned to Special Warfare (SPECWAR) Camp Support, Afghanistan. The service members will be on deployment supporting the assigned SPECWAR group for about seven months.

ACB 1’s Alfa Company has been busy preparing and ensuring all proper maintenance has been done on more than 200 pieces of CESE in preparation for ACB 1’s annual FEX.

The Commanding Officer for Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West, Fla., awarded Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit TWO ZERO TWO’s (CBMU 202’s) Detachment

Key West with the NAS Key West Morale Welfare & Recreation (MWR) Captain’s Cup for FY 2010. Competing against much larger commands from the Army, Coast Guard and Fleet, they proved to be dominant as a close unit with the victory.

The det also was heavily involved in community support, volunteering for a monthly, Habitat for Humanity-sponsored soup kitchen food drive that netted more than 200 pounds of donations. In September the det led International Coastal Clean Up on Geiger Key, with 15 Seabee and numerous NAS Key West volunteers removing 1,400 pounds of debris, which resulted in 2 miles of clean beach front. The det also completed a four-day archeological investigation at Truman Point, recovering gravestones dating back to the Civil War that would have been a total loss with construction operations.

The pre-engineered buildings (PEB) project now is a memory for Detachment Kings Bay, Ga. The SSGN storage facility that included two PEBs was completely turned over to Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic (SWFLANT) Oct. 12. The crew was a core of 16 personnel, with the local detachments and the command reserve component also contributing more than 50 personnel to complete the project.

Detachment Continuing Promise is at its last location of a four-month deployment. Personnel have completed 4,200 man-days of quality construction across eight countries in the Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR) to include constructing playgrounds and sidewalks and making school

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SEABEEU P D A T E U P D A T E



improvements. The projects delivered humanitarian assistance that increased the quality of life for multiple nations throughout the region.

Detachment Jacksonville, Fla., completed the second deck concrete placement and the wall installment on both the first and second floors for the new Seabee administration facility. A weapons PEB was delivered and inventoried in preparing for a November start date. The det also stayed busy supporting the NAS Jacksonville Air Show and the Navy League Jacksonville Sea Service Tribute with a static display and event set up for both occasions.

Detachment Washington, D.C., dispatched two teams of 10 Seabees to Baltimore, Md. with Civil Engineering Support Equipment (CESE) to participate and support Baltimore’s Navy Week from Sept. 6 through 10. The smaller team was assigned a static display with the unit’s CESE and public relations with the attendees of the Maryland State Fair. The other team worked with the organizers of the Kaboom program to clear two lots, which were used for parking, and a new playground to provide local children a healthy activity.

The main body hosted the annual military block training at Camp Lejeune, N.C., to support readiness requirements for command locations the furthest north. The focus of the two-week training was core Naval Construction Force (NCF) skills that each expeditionary unit is responsible for maintaining. The command completed the Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) with strong ratings, which reflect the hard work of each member of the command. The ORI reflected the positive standard sustained across the unit in all locations to stay ready as personnel complete their homeport mission of construction readiness training. CMBU 202 is completing the transition into fall with projects that will maintain a healthy work load well into the winter months.

At the end of August, Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit THREE ZERO THREE (CBMU 303) wrapped up its support of RIMPAC 2010, a multinational

exercise designed to increase the tactical proficiency of participating units and prepare forces to be interoperable and ready for a wide range of potential operations. RIMPAC also helps ensure stability throughout the Pacific

Rim and aids in the development and prosperity of the participating nations.

RIMPAC included a complement of 20 active and reserve CBMU 303 Seabees supporting CTF 171 on the island of Oahu with general construction support. The Seabees built and maintained a 75-person camp with 13 base X tents and six Environmental Controlled Units (ECUs). They installed stackable washer/dryer units, including water, drain and electrical lines, placed 26 cubic yards of concrete for the hazmat yard, installed 150 linear feet of chain link security fence and installed 150 linear feet of 3/4-inch black iron pipe for the compressed air line.

On the Big Island of Hawaii and in support of CTF 179, a team 38 Seabees completed construction projects across three separate Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) encompassing 156,000 square feet of terrain while providing camp maintenance support and general facility renovation projects.

In August, CBMU 303 conducted a Change of Command where Lt. Cmdr. Heather J. Walton was relieved by Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey S. Bartlett.

In Okinawa, Japan, four CBMU 303 Seabees provided Command and Control Personal Computer (C2PC) support to the FIRST Naval Construction Division (1 NCD) during the annual Ulchi Focus Guardian exercise. Providing worldwide Theater Security Cooperation (TSCP) and Phase Zero operations support, four Seabees deployed to Ulithi Atoll in the South Pacific. This 44-day exercise focused on building relationships with the local populace, and the Seabees partnered with United States Air Force engineers renovating the Outer Island High School on Falalop Island. This exercise was a joint project bringing together four Navy and 14 Air Force personnel to not only build the school but repair seven buildings in and around the school’s campus. The work provided a breadth of interdisciplinary work for electricians, steelworkers and utilitiesmen.

CBMU 303 wrapped up the quarter providing general construction support to the world’s largest air show, the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Air Show. Here, 26 reserve and active Seabees established a project site and constructed a 40-foot high by 200-foot long set of bleachers capable of seating more than 5,000 spectators.

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The first two weeks of September, Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SEVEN (NMCB 7), embarked aboard High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2), refurbished a school in Georgetown, Guyana. The construction project was

the last of three the Swift detachment completed for the community in support of Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2010. The other two projects were a residence home for tuberculosis patients and a health center. The bulk of the detachment arrived in Georgetown in mid-August, and Det Swift moved on to Honduras in late October to embark upon similar projects as part of SPS 2011.

Seabees attached to USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) completed building and renovation projects near Covenas, Colombia, where mission personnel provided humanitarian care and assistance in support of Continuing Promise 2010 (CP10)–Partnership of the Americas. Rain, mud and supply issues delayed efforts to repair a school and build a playground in Salitral and construct a storage shed and large pavilion for the school in Don Gabriel, both in Colombia. To reach the construction site, Seabees convoyed for two hours each way. Sixty Seabees from Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit TWO ZERO TWO (CBMU 202), Naval Mobile Construction Battalion TWENTY-FIVE (NMCB 25) and NMCB 7 worked the three main project sites in Colombia. The projects were completed Aug. 16, but personnel will remain deployed to the United States Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM’s) Area of Responsibility (AOR) until November.

On Aug. 31, the CP10 team wrapped up its 10-days of Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) in Costa Rica, to include providing medical services, building a playground and renovating two school sites. CP10 also is providing humanitarian care and assistance in Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Nicaragua, Panama and Suriname.

During the past three months, since arriving from their main body deployment site in Rota, Spain, personnel assigned to the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay detachment have been constructing two K-spans, which are projected for completion Dec. 15.

In September the Alfa Company ’Bees successfully raised their Civil Engineering Support Equipment (CESE) availability from 61 percent to a remarkable 84 percent. ALFA Company also has successfully completed more than 400 Planned Maintenance System (PMS) checks on equipment assigned to their detachment.

In early November, NMCB 7 shifted from SPS 2010

to CP10 to finish a project delayed by the movement of Hurricane Tomas in the Caribbean. The 17 Seabees were part of the joint-forces crew embarked aboard HSV 2 and were scheduled to conduct training and participate in subject-matter expert exchanges with partner nations in South America. Instead, they will deploy to the Republic of Suriname to complete a 10-day rehabilitation project at a local girls’ boarding school and library begun by another NMCB 7 detachment embarked aboard USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), which now is steaming to Haiti to offer humanitarian assistance.

Continuing Promise is an annual humanitarian civic-assistance operation that provides opportunities to establish new partnerships with other nations, non-government organizations and international government organizations while learning from host nations and civilian experts.

SPS 10 is an annual deployment of U.S. ships to the SOUTHCOM AOR in the Caribbean and Latin America. The mission’s primary goal is information sharing with navies, coast guards and civilian services throughout the region.

In August, Seabees with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ELEVEN’s (NMCB 11’s) Detail Chinhae participated in Exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) 2010. This exercise has been held

every year since the late 1970s to develop and evaluate the command and control element during contingency and wartime operations on the Korean peninsula through the use of computer-based and real-world training. It is a key component to reaching the current administration’s goal of relinquishing U.S. military control of South Korea in 2015. This year marked the first participation by the Naval Construction Force (NCF) in the exercise.

Det Chinhae trained and worked alongside Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy personnel instructing, planning and building a heavy timber bunker, assisting in the reconstruction of a damaged mock pier, and giving basic construction training to potential Korean Navy Seabees on an NMCB 11 job site located aboard Chinhae Naval Base. In turn, these Korean Navy personnel will teach future members of the ROK Navy, as the ROK Naval Facilities Group, which currently is focused mainly on transportation, shifts its focus toward contingency

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construction similar to the Seabees.In early September, Det Chinhae visited one of the

tensest spots on the planet, the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the unofficial border separating North and South Korea. The tour of the Joint Security Area enabled Det Chinhae’s members to better appreciate the role the United States plays in South Korea. Seabees from previous deployments to Chinhae, South Korea, all have been in the DMZ.

Det Thailand is slated to construct two 32- by 32-meter concrete Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Pads for the MV-22 Osprey, perform earthwork of the surrounding 60 acres, and provide Quality Assurance (QA) during the construction of a concrete Mock Airfield Operations Building. The project will debut at Cobra Gold 2011, where seven nations, to include the United States and Thailand, are scheduled to come together and spend almost two months conducting joint military training.

Det Christmas Island recently completed Banana Primary School. Personnel currently are upgrading the lavatory systems and building a similar school house for Tennessee Primary School and are scheduled to kick off the third and final school in November.

Det Yokosuka has been renovating the Morale Welfare & Recreation multi-purpose facility. The crew has had to overcome the logistical challenge of being on an island, which requires personnel to use a ferry and barge to move large equipment including concrete trucks.

In August Rear Adm. Scott Weikert, Deputy Commander FIRST Naval Construction Division (1 NCD), joined Naval Mobile Construction Battalion TWENTY-SEVEN (NMCB

27) and other dignitaries at Westover Air Reserve Base to celebrate the official opening of the new NMCB 27 Readiness Support Site (RSS) in Chicopee, Mass.

The new RSS facility integrates all battalion functions beneath a single roof, increasing unit productivity and staff collaboration, and is designed to minimize energy consumption, yielding a significant annual savings on recurring utility costs.

“Our new Headquarters building is more centrally located in the Battalion’s AOR, allowing us to bring in more of our members on drill weekends to the RSS,” said NMCB 27’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Gary Rouse. “This increases our ability to conduct battalion-level

training and enables us to function in a manner that more closely resembles real-world contingency operations.”

The 439th Air Wing Commanding Officer, Col. Robert Swain, remarked about the transition from a base exclusively used by the Air Force to a base currently hosting more than 1,800 sailors, Marines and soldiers in addition to the existing 2,200 airmen.

“My pledge to all of you is anything you need, don’t be afraid to ask,” Swain said.

In August, the chiefs and officers of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SEVENTY-FOUR (NMCB 74) completed their khaki Field Training Exercise (FTX) at Camp

Shelby, Miss. The one-week exercise gave the “Fearless” leadership the opportunity to develop tactics and technical proficiency, improve teamwork, and build camaraderie. Additionally, it provided firsthand experience of the physical challenges their Seabees would be faced with during the battalion’s upcoming FTX.

Also in August, NMCB 74 took second place in the judging at the diversity fair held onboard Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC), Gulfport, Miss., with their Washington, D.C., booth. More than 15 commands attended, presenting information and offering food from across the United States.

In mid-September, NMCB 74 welcomed back 33 Seabees to Gulfport after they spent 44 days constructing a 9,000-square-foot pre-engineered building on Andros Island, Bahamas. The building will serve as a Marine industrial repair facility onboard Atlantic Underwater Testing Equipment Center, Andros. The project was a great opportunity for junior equipment operators, construction mechanics, construction electricians and utilitiesmen to practice laying block, which will serve them well during the battalion’s upcoming deployment to Spain, Horn of Africa and other countries in the area.

The training tempo of the battalion’s homeport cycle reached its peak during September with the completion of the embark training exercise, communications training exercise, and the convoy security element’s several weeks of training and evaluated exercises.

In early October, NMCB 74 completed its graded 48-hour mount-out exercise, which prepared most of the Civil


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Engineer Support Equipment (CESE) to roll right into the field at Camp Shelby for the battalionwide FTX and Final Evaluation Period (FEP). The FTX officially began Oct. 11, and the FEP was completed Oct. 22. The evolution was extremely successful and proved to everyone that NMCB 74 is more than ready to deploy.

“I’m proud of all the hard work and motivation you’ve all put in to make this an extremely successful FTX,” said the battalion’s Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Richard Hayes III, in a speech to his troops.

In late August, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ONE THIRTY-THREE (NMCB 133) held its annual Black Hell Squad Competition in

Gulfport, Miss. The competition is held in honor of the Seabees from the ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-THIRD Naval Construction Battalion (133rd NCB) who fought and suffered the most casualties of any Seabee battalion in history as part of the initial Feb. 19, 1945, Iwo Jima landing of World War II.

Many Seabees would go to the front lines and fight the Japanese with the Marines until the equipment or materials were available for them to do their jobs, including the repair of two airstrips, one of which was the longest in the Pacific. Seabees from the 133rd NCB lost three officers and 39 enlisted personnel while 12 officers and 191 enlisted were wounded in action during the five months they spent on the island.

NMCB 133’s Black Hell Squad Competition gives the battalion’s Seabees the opportunity to utilize their Seabee warfare skills similar to the way the 133rd NCB Seabees did on Iwo Jima. Physica-fitness testing, project planning, land navigation, troop patrols, and the setting up of fighting positions and communications equipment are a few of the skills that were evaluated during the competition. These are the same life-saving skills that contributed to the 133rd NCB’s success on Iwo Jima. NMCB 133’s Headquarters Company Second Squad came in first after the final scores were calculated.

The last week of August, NMCB 133 provided 11 personnel to Naval Weapons Station Cheatham Annex, Williamsburg, Va., to provide support for a Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group field exercise.

In mid-October, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ONE (NMCB 1) and NMCB 133 teamed up to volunteer

time and equipment at the Gulfport, Miss., Independent School District’s Fall Festival. The event began with a parade that included Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport’s Seabee Float, followed by almost a dozen Seabees, who drove their personal trucks carrying students and an adult supervisor in the back. A Seabee from 133 drove a World War II-era U.S. Army Jeep in the parade as well. Through the Adopt a School program, personnel with both battalions have become very familiar with Central Middle and West Elementary schools, serving as role models, mentors, hall monitors, and reading and math tutors at both schools.

Members of Underwater Construction Team ONE’s (UCT 1’s) Construction Dive Detachment Charlie are over the halfway mark for their deployment to European Command (EUCOM) and African Command (AFRICOM). They completed

a high-priority pier construction project in Cameroon, Africa, and critical repairs to port security barriers in their backyard in Rota, Spain. In the next couple weeks they are scheduled to begin final preparations for a project in Liberia, Africa—another priority project that helps support theater security cooperation efforts in that region. This will be their final deployed project, as they are expected to return home in January.

Construction Dive Detachment Alfa is coming to the close of an extremely successful training cycle, most recently completing a Field Training Exercise (FTX) and Final Evaluation Problem (FEP) at Camp Shelby, Miss. Bravo is looking forward to the holidays and is slated to relieve Charlie early in the new year. Construction Dive Detachment Bravo is wrapping up its maintenance phase. Its personnel are looking forward to receiving some reinforcements with the arrival of a new group of Seabee divers fresh from Panama City, once they complete their initial diver and UCT training. The detachment is scheduled to begin its training phase this spring.

For the shore duty component, this quarter has been all about inspections—Diving Operational Readiness Assessment, Naval Safety Center Survey, Dive System Certifications and the Operational Readiness Inspection. The shore duty Seabee divers have continued to impress inspectors by successfully completing these assessments.

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Our deepest thanks go to everyone who contributes news to the Seabee Update—and to those who contribute every day to our nation’s safety. OORAH SEABEES!

To include your

information in

the next issue,

please contact

Managing Editor

Michelle Fayard

at mefayard@

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20 The Seabee Quarterly November 2010SE

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YNovember 2010 Volume 16 Issue 4..

CEC/SeabeeHistorical Foundation Inc.P.O. Box 657Gulfport, MS 39502-0657

<Return Service Requested>

NONPROFITU.S. Postage

PAIDNEW ORLEANS, LA

Permit No. 333

inside . . . Navy Accepts New Museum, to Open on limited Basis

Pages 1, 3

Shields Memorial Rededicated

Page 5

First Museum Bricks Put in Place

Page 7

Regular Features Chair’s, President’s Columns ... Page 2 Reunions ... Page 10 Seabee Update ... Page 14

SHARPSHOOTINg SEABEES

Equipment Operator 2nd Class (EO2) Chris Funderburg of Amphibious Construction Battalion ONE (ACB 1) earned High Navy Shooter in the 2010 Inter-Service Rifle Championship held at Quantico, Va., and the National Rifle Association (NRA) National

Championships held at Camp Perry, Ohio.Qualifying for the U.S. Navy Marksmanship Team

(USNMT) for the first time in 2009, Funderburg competed in the All Navy Rifle Championship and went on to the nationals. After successfully completing the 2009 nationals, Funderburg returned to his command and, with the support of ACB 1, created a command marksmanship team which placed third for the Navy in the 2010 Fleet Command (West) Rifle and Pistol Matches in Camp Pendleton, Calif. Funderburg’s ACB 1 teammates fared well, with Construction Mechanic Constructionman (CMCN) Manuel Regalado placing 49 out of 86 in the matches for pistol and later invited by the USNMT for the national matches, and Equipment Operator Chief (EOC) Stephen Smith earning the title High New Navy Shooter.

The Fleet Command (West) Rifle and Pistol Matches competition qualified Funderburg for the Inter-Service Rifle Championship and NRA National Championships, where the best marksmen of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and National Guard compete.

“I thoroughly enjoyed watching EO2 Funderburg represent the Navy throughout our shooting season,” said Lt. Jeffery N. Roney, USNMT Officer in Charge. “He is one of the most talented young shooters I have witnessed compete at upper

level competition. In time, he could be a national champion.”Along with receiving the High Navy Shooter for 2010 Inter-

service Rifle Championship and NRA National Championships, Funderburg received numerous trophies and awards and was classified by the NRA as a Master Shooter. He received a SECNAV trophy rifle, a Capt. Joe Earle Wyatt Memorial Trophy for being the highest scoring Naval competitor in the National Trophy Individual (NTI) rifle match and an Adm. Arleigh A. Burke Trophy for having the highest score of Naval competitors in the (NTI) rifle match.

BZC A N D O !

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EO2 Chris Funderburg

seabee quarterly (nov)

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