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CB 11's Community action dam building project. Over 200 Samoan women carried concrete to the dam construction site assisting the Seabees to get it done
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Lombrum Point ship repair dock, Los Negros built by 11 NCB
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11 | |
---|---|
Active | 1942–1945
1953–1969 2007–present |
Country | United States |
Branch | USN |
Homeport | Construction Battalion Center Gulfport |
Engagements | World War II Vietnam War Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom |
Commanders | |
Current commander | CDR Benjamin Waite |
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11 (NMCB 11) is a United States Navy Construction Battalion, otherwise known as a Seabee Battalion, presently home-ported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center (Gulfport, Mississippi). The unit was formed during World War II as the 11th Naval Construction Battalion at Camp Allen on 28 June 1942. On 1 July, she moved to the new Seabee base Camp Bradford. Seabee battalions were numbered sequentially in the order they were stood up. The battalion lost one man during the war to a construction accident. The 11th CB was inactivated on 1 December 1945, at Subic Bay, Philippines.
The unit was reactivated as Mobile Construction Battalion 11 in the fall 1953, only to be decommissioned again in December 1969. However, MCB 11 made four tours in Vietnam. Eleven's fourth Seabee Technical Assistance Team (STAT) was sent to a Special Forces camp near the junction of two jungle routes, one called the Ho Chi Minh trail. It was the main route for the Viet Cong into South Vietnam, and lead to the most decorated group of Seabees in Seabee history. The battalion's 1967 tour exposed the men to the most severe combat the Seabees had seen since World War II. They came under fire 128 times, costing them 12 KIA. There were construction fatalities as well. In addition, the battalion suffered 102 wounded. NMCB 11 had one man make all four tours, getting a ribbon that matches the battalion's battle streamer. The battalion was deactivated in 1969.
Reactivated in 2007, NMCB 11 has since deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. It has also undertaken international engagement activities in the Pacific, and supported the relief efforts of Hurricane Sandy. Homeport for NMCB 11 is NCBC Gulfport Mississippi
From Camp Bradford, the battalion caught a train to the Advance Base Depot, Port Hueneme.[3] NCB 11 was the very first CB to embark from that port for the Pacific.[4] In the early record, 11th's first assignments are referenced by their code-names: Straw-hat, Straw-stack[5] and Fetlock. "Straw-hat" was Upolo, Samoa, "Straw-stack" was Tutuila, Samoa, and "Fetlock" was Pago Pago.[6] Eleven's primary projects were the construction of a Cub destroyer base and harbor facilities at Tutuila, fuel tanks, pump system, and fuel dock. A detachment was also sent to assist the 2nd CB on Upolo. From Samoa, CB 11 was transferred to Nouméa, New Caledonia when CBMU 506 relieved them on Samoa. Nouméa was Hq for SOPAC. The main project on there was Naval Mobile Hospital 5. There were 3 detachment sites: Magenta, Ducos, and Ile Nou.[6] They were then sent to New Zealand for R&R. The next stop was Banika Island in the Russells to build a dock for Acorn.[6][7]
From there, the battalion embarked the USS Wharton (AP-7)[8] for the Admiralty Islands campaign. On Los Negros Island 11 built the operational home for the 2nd NCR and started a Lion for the 7th Fleet. Shipmates with them on AP-7 was the 58th CB. At Milne Bay, Los Negros the 11th and 58th CBs joined the 71st. Projects the 11th had were the construction of three repair bases on Seeadler Harbor for seaplanes,[9] landing craft, and the fleet.[6] The seaplane base became home for VPB-52 and their PBYs. From Los Negros the 11th returned to CONUS. After an extended R&R the battalion shipped out along with the 35th and 80th (colored) CBs for Subic Bay, Philippines. At Subic Bay, the 11th took over projects started by the 115th CB as well as team-worked with them on others. These included the completion of an Amphibious Training Center, Advance Base Construction Depot,[10] a 400' marine railway.[6][11] and a 1,200-foot pier to serve a supply depot. On 1 December 1945 the battalion was inactivated. The record does not give the date that the men reached CONUS.
CB 11's Community action dam building project. Over 200 Samoan women carried concrete to the dam construction site assisting the Seabees to get it done
Lombrum Point ship repair dock, Los Negros built by 11 NCB
In August 1953, the battalion was reactivated as Mobile Construction Battalion 11 (MCB 11) at Port Hueneme, CA.[16] The battalion did not deploy to Korea. Instead, her first deployment returned the battalion to its last World War II duty station, Subic Bay.[16] The project was constructing Naval Air Station Cubi Point with its adjacent pier. Along with CBs 2, 3, 5 and 9 MCB 11 was involved in the leveling of a mountain that civilian contractors said could not be done. It cost of $100,000,000 in 1956 ($1.08 billion in 2022 dollars). In November 1955 MCB 11 landed on Kwajalein to build Department of Defense housing totaling 78 buildings. On Halloween 1959, the battalion relieved MCB 9 on Okinawa. The job was building base infra-structure: five 100'x400' warehouses, four shops, plus supply and administration buildings.[16] Sent to Midway Island in December 1961, the battalion worked on a seaplane ramp, the station's roads, as well as civilian and military housing. However, MCB 11 had three atypical projects for the Atomic Energy Commission on Kwajalein, Eniwetok, and Nevada. The battalion repaired massive damage caused by the 11 November 1962 arrival of Typhoon Karen on Guam;[16] an advanced party left for the island just days after the storm on 15 November, followed by the main body on 5 December. In 1965 MCB 11 had two Seabee teams sent behind the iron curtain to deal with a bug problem the State Department had discovered in U.S. embassies.[17][18]
CM3 Marvin Glenn Shields Mobile Construction Battalion 11.
In 1968 the Marine Corps requested that the Navy change its use of "MCB" for Mobile Construction Battalion as the Marine Corps were using "MCB" for "Marine Combat Base". The dual usage was creating confusion in Vietnam. The Navy agreed there was an issue and changed the Navy's CB name format. The USN from "United States Naval" Mobile Construction Battalions was changed to U.S. and the N was moved to the "MCB" creating the "NMCBs" that exist today.[citation needed]
Seabee Technical Assistance Teams
Seabee Teams
Seabee Technical Assistance Team 1103 at Nam Pat, Thailand, 1964
STAT 1104 in Port Hueneme L-R standing: J. Klepher, D. Brakken, W. Hoover, Ltjg Peterlin, Cmdr L.W.Eyman, D. Mattick, J. Keenan, J.R. McCully, M. Shields, kneeling: R. Supczak, F.J. Alexander Jr, J. Wilson, J. Allen.
Ghost Battalion colors at Quảng Trị. The Seabees had 11,000 graves to move in order to construct that airfield.
MCB 11 well drilling team sinking a hole for CBMU 301's camp at Dong Ha combat base 1967.
MCB 11 receiving USMC field instruction at Camp Pendelton during the battalions 5 weeks of military training in 1968.
MCB 11's first camp at Quang Tri being disassembled.
MCB 11 Vietnam camp sign 1969 (note sign; battalion had not completely adopted the name change to NMCB)
NMCB 11 was recommissioned on 14 September 2007 in order for the Naval Construction Forces (NCF) to carry out the increasing construction projects it was being tasked with throughout the world. Eleven was classified as the first "SMART Battalion", and instituted many of the initiatives and changes being implemented to improve NCF operations. According to the battalions webpage, "NMCB ELEVEN is tasked with providing advance base construction, battle damage repair, contingency engineering, humanitarian assistance and disaster recovery support to our fleet and unified commanders."[33]
Like most CBs, 11 does not use the unit insignia from WWII. When the battalion was reactivated the first time, a pair of dice showing eleven was adopted for the unit insignia[42] That design had no Seabee on it. The cover of the 1955–56 Cruise-book has an insignia on it exactly like the one used today, minus the phrase "Remembering the Past".[43] For an unknown reason, the dice were removed from the unit insignia on the cover of the 1969 cruise-book.
NMCB 11 has received several unit citations and commendations. Members who participated in actions that merited the award are authorized to wear the medal or ribbon associated with the award on their uniform. Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces have different categories, i.e. Unit, Campaign, Service, and Personal. Unit Citations are distinct from the other decorations. The following unit awards are 11's:[44][45]
Campaign and Service Awards |Vietnam Service NMCB 11's Battle Streamer for Vietnam has one silver star and two bronze stars: the streamer alone counts as the first award. MCB 11 made 4 tours of Vietnam. The conflict was divided into 18 award periods and the battalion qualifies for eight.
11's Seabee Teams
Unit Letters of Commendation
Commanding officer | Period | Deployed to: | Detachments |
---|---|---|---|
LCDR Ernest A. Heckler | Jun 1942 – Oct 1943 | Tutiula, Samoa | Upolo, Samoa, Pago pago[6] |
LCDR Benjamin Evans | Oct 1943 – Feb 1944 | Banika, Russell Island | [6] |
LCDR Lionel C. Tschudy | Feb 1944 – Oct 1944 | Banika, Russell Island | [6] |
LCDR Edward K Bryant | Oct 1944 – Nov 1945 | Camp Parks, CA, Subic Bay, Philippines | [6] |
LT Robert F. Wambsgans | Nov 1945 – Dec 1944 | Camp Parks, CA, Subic Bay, Philippines | inactivated[6] |
LT Fritz H. Hediger | Jul 1953 – Aug 1953 | NA | [49] |
LCDR Allison D. Froman | Aug 1953 – Sept 1953 | NA | [49] |
LCDR James C. Castanes | Sept 1953 – Sept 1955 | Subic Bay, Philippines | [49] |
CDR John A. Dougherty | Sept 1955 – Aug 1957 | NAS Kwajalein | [49] |
CDR William R. Reese | Aug 1957 – Nov 1957 | NAS Kwajalein | [49] |
CDR Harold F. Liberty | Nov 1957 – Feb 1960 | NS Subic Bay | Philippines[49] |
CDR John P. Williams | Feb 1960 – Mar 1962 | NS Subic Bay | Philippines[49] " |
CDR Paul J. Doyle, Jr | Mar 1962 – Apr 1963 | NS Subic Bay | Philippines[49] " |
CDR William W. Barron | Apr 1963 – May 1966 | NS Subic Bay | (November STAT 1103 Nam Pat, Thailand)[49] (Feb 1965 STAT 1104 Ben Soi and Dong Xoai, Vietnam), (1 Aug 1965 STAT 1105 Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam) |
CDR William L. Wilson | May 1966 – Jul 1967 | 'Đà Nẵng, Vietnam | Mar. CB Team 1106-Vĩnh Long, Aug CB Team 1107 Vĩnh Long[26] |
CDR William K Hartell | Jul 1967 – Jul 1969 | 'Đà Nẵng, Vietnam | Seabee team 1110 Cần Thơ and Long Xuyên RVN[26] |
CDR Jack L Godsey | Jul 1969 – Dec 1969 | Vietnam, Okinawa, Guam | Seabee team 1110 Cần Thơ and Long Xuyên RVN[26] |
CDR Stephen Revelas | Sept 2007 – Jun 2009 | Gulfport, OEF-OIF, Kuwait | re-commissioned[50] |
CDR Michael Monreal | Jun 2009 – May 2001 | Gulfport, OEF-OIF, Kuwait | [50] |
CDR Lore Aguayo | May 2011 – Jun 2013 | Afghanistan | FOB Leatherneck[50] |
CDR Steven J. Stasick | Jun 2013 – Nov 2014 | Rota | Djibouti, Ghana, Niger, Burkina Faso, Bahrain, Guam[50] |
CDR Jorge R. Cuadros | Nov 2014 – Jun 2016 | Rota | Djibouti, Cameroon, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Niger, Chad, Tunisia, Bahrain, Guam, CCAD-Kwajalein, CCAD-Kosrae |
CDR James E. Brown | Jun 2016 – May 2018 | Rota | Poland, Ukraine, Israel, Germany, Bahrain, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Djibouti. Cameroon, Gabon, Guam, Kwajalein, Pohnpei, and Chuuk |
CDR Dean E. Allen | May 2018–Present | Rota | Poland, Ukraine, Israel, Germany, Bahrain, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Djibouti. Cameroon, Gabon, Guam, Kwajalein, Pohnpei, and Chuuk |