Happy
Birthday
Posted on 03/05/2017 7:00:31 PM PST by Terry Mross
We build! We Fight!
Happy
Birthday
Seabees are some very tough hombres. They also have to be very intelligent. Most of the few Seabees I have known came from a long line of military service. From father to son.
Now, it may also involve women. I don’t know if that’s yet happened. Women can be tough and determined as well in their own way.
Yes, Seebees are smart, resourceful and more than useful to have around but they aren’t very watchful. One of our lads stole the A/C out of the Seebees barracks at DaNang back in the 1960’s. It sure made our lounge more comfy.
Your team member must have acted quickly!
Da Nang was probably hotter and more humid than my experience sailing through Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean on The Enterprise.
Thick clouds of mosquitos everywhere after dusk. Beautiful clean water, though.
I heard it was “We build, we fight, we party all night!”
Also, the word was that as a Marine, you should never, ever hit a Seabee, ‘cause it might be your dad.
Happy Birthday!
James Michner’s Tales in Paradise had a good story about a contractor Forman who ran out to a crash landed plane to chew out the pilot for damaging his unfinished runway. Hi died in the end.
“The Song of the Seabees”
(1943)
Words by Sam M. Lewis
Music by Peter de Rose
The Navy wanted men
That’s where we came in
Mister Brown and Mister Jones
The Owens, the Cohens and Flynn
The Navy wanted more
Of Uncle Sammy’s kin
So we all joined up
And brother we’re in to win
We’re the Seabees of the Navy
We can build and we can fight
We’ll pave the way to victory
And guard it day and night
And we promise that we remember
The “Seventh of December”
We’re the Seabees of the Navy
Bees of the Seven Seas
I was in a small unit in the early 70s that a Wave cross rated to a Seabee Equipment Operator. However, she is not listed as the first official woman Seabee.
Now women are very well represented in the Bees. Including commanding officers.
I was on Diego Garcia in 1973. None of our Seahuts were air-conditioned. The first Seabees landed in 1971. Seabees built the base. But I don’t remember any mosquitoes.
My Uncle Joe was a Seabee in the South Pacific during WWII.
I always look at the old Wartime Footage hoping to see him driving a Bulldozer building a Runway. LOL
My Father served in the Navy in the South Pacific at the same time.
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