I have a copy of a picture from Life magazine (1944) of my grandfather representing the SeaBees on Bougainville with a Marine. I would like to post here but I can’t find it right now. Reminded by your comment that often times my grandfather’s unit would be stretched before the supply lines with the Marines on most of their missions (if that is the term).
My Dad told me that the Japanese would come out of the jungles to surrender to them because they were starving to death. They had already eaten every monkey and dog on the island, and the SeaBees would feed as many as they could, but had to turn most away. They had no place or provisions to take them as prisoners. This was one of the saddest effects of the war in Guam..He told me that when they were doing the dirt work to prepare the landing strips, they were being shot at, almost on a continual basis. However, the longer they worked, the less the shooting, so I suppose that is when the Japanese gave up (theoretically)...
Remember reading Helmet for My Pillow, where Sledge mentioned how the Marines would jump in the Seabees chow line. The Seabees never complained and told them they were always welcome.