Navy Civil Engineering Corps

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The United States Navy dynamic structure is an invaluable characteristic that has made it the most powerful in the world. It not only possesses great warships with advanced technology but also organized units of men and woman who can provide the support that allows the navy to have a forward naval presence, specifically the Seabees. Seabees or the construction battalion (CB) is a unit in the US Navy Civil Engineering Corps (CEC). The CEC trains enlisted men and women in the engineering trade with basic military training so that they may be able to construct or maintain necessary infrastructures including airstrips, navy bases, roads, camps, and weather stations. Since the unit’s establishment during World War II, the Seabees’ role developed from a regimented group of tradesmen to a highly trained organization that provides war and disaster relief as well as military support. Although the Navy Civil Engineering Corps was made official in the middle of the Second World War, construction units were evident as far back as the War of 1812. During the war, the American navy sought to hinder British trade by pursuing merchant vessels. Under Captain David Porter the USS Essex was brought into the Pacific Islands, where he landed on Nukuhiva Island with 300 artisans and crafts man to build the Navy’s first naval base. With the aid of nearly 4,000 island natives they obtained all of the necessary materials but were forced to work alongside their rifles to constantly fend off unfriendly islanders. This concept was carried over to the 1940s Rear Admiral Ben Moreell of the Bureau of Yards and Dock following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. After the attack a majority of the US Navy was left in ruin and the Government saw the need for a t... ... middle of paper ... ...eabees in service, about 50% of who are active in 7 naval construction battalions and 12 reserve battalions. Since their official establishment in 1942, time and time again, the Seabees have displayed great courage and skill by going ashore and building the foundation for some of the navy’s greatest accomplishments. Works Cited Dooley, Matthew P. "Seabees Complete Disaster Recovery Mission | Military.com." Military.com. N.p., 20 Nov. 2012. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. Lee, Sam M. "U.S. Navy: The Seabees." U.S. Navy: The Seabees. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Navy History and Heritage. "FAQ: Seebee History Index." FAQ: Seebee History Index. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. "The Workshop Heroes." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 02 Mar. 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. http://www.public.navy.mil/necc/hq/PublishingImages/NECC%20fact%20sheets/NECC_SEABEES2_FactSheet2012.pdf

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