Name

• The term "Seabee" comes from the acronym for construction battalion, which was the official name of Seabee units. Consequentially, the Seabee mascot is a bumblebee sporting a sailor hat, with a machine gun in its two front hands and and various constructions tool in the other four. This pose is emblematic of the Seabees' chief characteristic: they are master craftsman with the fighting ability of any soldier or Marine on the battlefield. Hence, the Seabee's motto: "We build, we fight."
  
  

History

• Before the U.S. went to war against Japan, they used civilian contractors for construction projects. However, after Pearl Harbor, a problem developed. The workers were not trained in military tactics and had to rely on the Marines or Army personnel present for protection. If they did defend themselves and were captured, they were treated as guerrillas and denied the same protections under the Geneva Conventions as military personnel. As a solution, the Navy recruited master craftsmen and gave them combat and weapons training. The result was the Seabees.
  
  During World War II, Seabees went island hopping with the Marines, building airstrips and barracks. In Korea, they were dispatched to build and repair miles of road. In Vietnam, construction mechanic Marvin Shield, the only Seabee to earn a Medal of Honor, embodied the "We build, we fight" spirit when his construction site came under attack from Vietcong forces. Shields, though wounded, carried ammunition to defending Marines and even when wounded a second time, continued to help transport more seriously injured comrades away from the fighting. Finally, Shields participated in the final thrust that drove back the Vietcong attack before succumbing to his wounds.
  
  In the 21st century, Seabees still build and fight, serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan. They also work on humanitarian projects in locations ranging from the Philippines to Haiti.
  
  

Organization

• Seabees fall under the 1st Naval Construction Division. Within the 1st NCD, six types of units exist. Naval mobile construction battalions, the most numerous force in 1st NCD, have Seabees trained in all of the constructions specialties. NMCBs are deployed when new structures must be built quickly. Construction battalion maintenance units go out when existing structures need rehab work. Amphibious construction battalions support Marine amphibious landings with port structures. Finally, underwater constructions teams are composed of Seabees who also train as Navy divers and perform maintenance on port structures and the submerged portions of ships.
  
  

Seabee Ratings

• Sailors destined to become Seabees train in in one of seven ratings or Navy job specialties. Builders are the carpenters who work with wood and masonry structures. Steelworkers weld the metal frames for larger building and bridges. Utilitiesmen manage water treatment pipes as well as heating and air conditioning systems. Equipment operators run large machines such as bulldozers and graders, which are in turn maintained by construction mechanics. Construction electricians install and test the building's electrical system. Finally, engineering aides, assist civil engineering officers with preliminary surveys and soil analysis.
  
  

The Seabee Museum and Memorial Park

• The Seabee Museum and Memorial Park in Davisville, Rhode Island, is set at the camp were the first Seabees began their training in 1941. The facility boasts life-size models of the pontoon bridges and quonset huts used in WWII and a memorial park for Seabees killed in the line of duty.