Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11

Last updated
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11
NMCB ELEVEN LOGO.png
Active1942–1945

1953–1969

2007–present
CountryUnited States
Branch USN
HomeportConstruction Battalion Center Gulfport
Engagements World War II
Vietnam War
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Commanders
Current
commander
CDR James Angerman
NMCB 11 commissioning (USN) US Navy 070914-N-1057H-363 Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11's organizational colors wave for the first time since being decommissioned in December 1969.jpg
NMCB 11 commissioning (USN)
WWII 11th CB insignia. It is a classic example of late Deco Streamline Moderne design. In 1944 the insignia was revised by the listing of all the deployment sites that was still style sensitive to the original design. Another revision followed adding naval icons around the border. (USN) 11th Naval Construction Battalion Insignia.jpg
WWII 11th CB insignia. It is a classic example of late Deco Streamline Moderne design. In 1944 the insignia was revised by the listing of all the deployment sites that was still style sensitive to the original design. Another revision followed adding naval icons around the border. (USN)
Lombrum Point ship repair dock, Los Negros built by 11 NCB (USN) Lombrum Point ship repair dock.jpg
Lombrum Point ship repair dock, Los Negros built by 11 NCB (USN)

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.

Contents

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

History

WWII

11's Dam 11's Dam.jpg
11's Dam
CAP CB 11 CAP CB 11.jpg
CAP CB 11

From Camp Bradford, the battalion caught a train to the Advance Base Depot, Port Hueneme. [2] NCB 11 was the very first CB to embark from that port for the Pacific. [3] In the early record, 11th's first assignments are referenced by their code-names: Straw-hat, Straw-stack [4] and Fetlock. "Straw-hat" was Upolo, Samoa, "Straw-stack" was Tutuila, Samoa, and "Fetlock" was Pago Pago. [5] 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. [5] 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. [5] [6]

From there, the battalion embarked the USS Wharton (AP-7) [7] 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, [8] landing craft, and the fleet. [5] 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, [9] a 400' marine railway. [5] [10] 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.

Cold War era

Cover of BUDOCKS Technical Digest No51 with MCB 11 crew pouring the top of a low level reservoir at Cubi Point, Bataan, Philippines. The photo is an iconic Seabee image. (USN) BUDOCKS Technical Digest No51.jpg
Cover of BUDOCKS Technical Digest No51 with MCB 11 crew pouring the top of a low level reservoir at Cubi Point, Bataan, Philippines. The photo is an iconic Seabee image. (USN)
MCB 11 insignia 1953-55. It appears on the cover of the 1953-54 cruise-book, minus the words, just the number 11 and two dice. (Seabee Museum) MCB 11.jpg
MCB 11 insignia 1953–55. It appears on the cover of the 1953–54 cruise-book, minus the words, just the number 11 and two dice. (Seabee Museum)

In August 1953, the battalion was reactivated as Mobile Construction Battalion 11 (MCB 11) at Port Hueneme, CA. [15] The battalion did not deploy to Korea. Instead, her first deployment returned the battalion to its last World War II duty station, Subic Bay. [15] 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 ($1.16 billion in 2024 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. [15] 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; [15] 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. [16] [17]

Vietnam

Marvin G. Shields USN 1119884.tif    Moh right.gif 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

2007 to present

Builder 3rd Class Amy Higgins with NMCB 11's Air Det in Afghanistan, builds a Southwest Asia hut. US Navy 090430-N-0981M-041 Builder 3rd Class Amy Higgins, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 Air Detachment Afghanistan, builds a Southwest Asia hut.jpg
Builder 3rd Class Amy Higgins with NMCB 11's Air Det in Afghanistan, builds a Southwest Asia hut.
NMCB 11 boards a CH-47 Chinook for transport to Special Forces projects in Afghanistan 2009. US Navy 090421-N-1139L-003 Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 board a military helicopter for transportation to build Special Forces camps at undisclosed locations in Afghanistan.jpg
NMCB 11 boards a CH-47 Chinook for transport to Special Forces projects in Afghanistan 2009.
NMCB-11 at the firing range at Camp Leatherneck. NMCB-11 battlesight zero on Camp Leatherneck 120219-N-UH337-048.jpg
NMCB-11 at the firing range at Camp Leatherneck.

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." [32]

Insignia

NMCB 11 at BEMBEREKE, Benin, June 14, 2009. UT3 Terrell L. Green receives a new batch of cement. While deployed to Rota, Spain NMCB-11 was tasked to Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2009. The exercise was a bilateral field training exercise conducting small unit infantry and staff training with the Beninese military. Humanitarian and civil assistance projects ran concurrent with the exercise.(USMC) 090614-M-6023F-004 (1).jpg
NMCB 11 at BEMBEREKE, Benin, June 14, 2009. UT3 Terrell L. Green receives a new batch of cement. While deployed to Rota, Spain NMCB-11 was tasked to Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2009. The exercise was a bilateral field training exercise conducting small unit infantry and staff training with the Beninese military. Humanitarian and civil assistance projects ran concurrent with the exercise.(USMC)

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 [41] 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". [42] For an unknown reason, the dice were removed from the unit insignia on the cover of the 1969 cruise-book.

Unit awards

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: [43] [44]

Campaign and Service Awards Streamer VS.PNG Silver-service-star-3d.svg Bronze-service-star-3d.svg Bronze-service-star-3d.svg |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

List of commanding officers

Commanding officerPeriodDeployed to:Detachments
LCDR Ernest A. HecklerJun 1942 – Oct 1943Tutiula, Samoa Upolo, Samoa, Pago pago [5]
LCDR Benjamin EvansOct 1943 – Feb 1944Banika, Russell Island [5]
LCDR Lionel C. TschudyFeb 1944 – Oct 1944Banika, Russell Island [5]
LCDR Edward K BryantOct 1944 – Nov 1945Camp Parks, CA, Subic Bay, Philippines [5]
LT Robert F. WambsgansNov 1945 – Dec 1944Camp Parks, CA, Subic Bay, Philippinesinactivated [5]
LT Fritz H. HedigerJul 1953 – Aug 1953NA [48]
LCDR Allison D. FromanAug 1953 – Sept 1953NA [48]
LCDR James C. CastanesSept 1953 – Sept 1955Subic Bay, Philippines [48]
CDR John A. DoughertySept 1955 – Aug 1957NAS Kwajalein [48]
CDR William R. ReeseAug 1957 – Nov 1957NAS Kwajalein [48]
CDR Harold F. LibertyNov 1957 – Feb 1960NS Subic BayPhilippines [48]
CDR John P. WilliamsFeb 1960 – Mar 1962NS Subic BayPhilippines [48] "
CDR Paul J. Doyle, JrMar 1962 – Apr 1963NS Subic BayPhilippines [48] "
CDR William W. BarronApr 1963 – May 1966NS Subic Bay(November STAT 1103 Nam Pat, Thailand) [48] (Feb 1965 STAT 1104 Ben Soi and Dong Xoai, Vietnam), (1 Aug 1965 STAT 1105 Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam)
CDR William L. WilsonMay 1966 – Jul 1967'Đà Nẵng, VietnamMar. CB Team 1106-Vĩnh Long, Aug CB Team 1107 Vĩnh Long [25]
CDR William K HartellJul 1967 – Jul 1969'Đà Nẵng, VietnamSeabee team 1110 Cần Thơ and Long Xuyên RVN [25]
CDR Jack L GodseyJul 1969 – Dec 1969Vietnam, Okinawa, GuamSeabee team 1110 Cần Thơ and Long Xuyên RVN [25]
CDR Stephen RevelasSept 2007 – Jun 2009Gulfport, OEF-OIF, Kuwaitre-commissioned [49]
CDR Michael MonrealJun 2009 – May 2001Gulfport, OEF-OIF, Kuwait [49]
CDR Lore AguayoMay 2011 – Jun 2013AfghanistanFOB Leatherneck [49]
CDR Steven J. StasickJun 2013 – Nov 2014Rota Djibouti, Ghana, Niger, Burkina Faso, Bahrain, Guam [49]
CDR Jorge R. CuadrosNov 2014 – Jun 2016RotaDjibouti, Cameroon, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Niger, Chad, Tunisia, Bahrain, Guam, CCAD-Kwajalein, CCAD-Kosrae
CDR James E. BrownJun 2016 – May 2018Rota Poland, Ukraine, Israel, Germany, Bahrain, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Djibouti. Cameroon, Gabon, Guam, Kwajalein, Pohnpei, and Chuuk
CDR Dean E. AllenMay 2018–PresentRotaPoland, Ukraine, Israel, Germany, Bahrain, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Djibouti. Cameroon, Gabon, Guam, Kwajalein, Pohnpei, and Chuuk

See also

NMCB 11 drilled 3 wells in Cambodia for the Pacific Partnership 2010 in conjunction with the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) US Navy 100811-N-4044H-378 The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) transfers cargo aboard the Royal Australian Navy heavy landing craft HMAS Labuan (L128).jpg
NMCB 11 drilled 3 wells in Cambodia for the Pacific Partnership 2010 in conjunction with the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19)
NMCB 11 at Rota 2015 (USN) 150206-N-OR477-099thumb1.jpg
NMCB 11 at Rota 2015 (USN)

Notes

    References

    1. Naval Construction Battalion Logos, flickr website, U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Port Hueneme, Ca
    2. The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: "U.S. Reinforcements 1941–42"
    3. Seabee Online Magazine, "Harbor-Base-Neighbors: When the Navy Came to Port Hueneme, 1942–1945, and Beyond", 26 November 2014, Dr. Frank A. Blazich Jr., Historian, U.S. Navy Seabee Museum
    4. New Hebride Islands, Military Postal History of the United States Forces, 1-42-1946, Stanley C. Jersey, Collectors' Club of Chicago Publisher, 1994, ISBN   0-916675-06-8, Appendix C, p. 177
    5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 NHHC, U.S.Navy Seabee Museum website, Seabee Unit Historical Information, Naval Construction Battalions, 11th Naval Construction Battalion
    6. Liberty University DigitalCommons@LibertyUniversity, Obscure but Important: The United States and the Russell Islands in World War II, David Lindsey Snead Summer 2003, p.8
    7. 1 2 Southern Cross Duty, Eleventh U.S.N. Construction Battalion 1942–1944, Army and Navy Pictorial Publishers, Army and Navy Publishing Company Building, 234 Main Street, Baton Rouge, LA 1944, p. 39,Seabee Museum Archives, Port Hueneme, CA
    8. Pacific Wecks Website
    9. "Building the Navy's Bases in WWII", Dept of the Navy, U.S. GPO, Washington, 1947, ABCD project taken over by 11 NCB
    10. Marine railway, CEC Bulletin Vol 2, No.22, Sept. 1949 BuDocks, U.S. Navy
    11. 1 2 3 4 Natives Cooperation Helps Complete Dam, Lt. C.B. Middleton CEC, Seabee News Service, Issue 25, 20 June 1944, p. 3
    12. Seabee Unit Historical Information NHHC: Seabee Museum/ U.S. Naval Heritage and History Command website]
    13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Southern Cross Duty, Eleventh U.S.N. Construction Battalion 1942–1944, Army and Navy Pictorial Publishers, Army and Navy Publishing Company Building, 234 Main Street, Baton Rouge, LA 1944, p. 39
    14. NHHC: U.S. Navy Seabee Museum website, Cubi Point, "They moved a mountain", (11 January 2017)
    15. 1 2 3 4 Naval History and Heritage Command,U.S. Navy Seabee Museum web page, Port Hueneme CA.
    16. 1 2 MCB 11 cruisebook 1964-65, p. 66/102 Seabee Museum Archive, Port Hueneme, Ca.
    17. 1 2 Spy "Bugs" Open New Worlds for Seabees to Conquer, CIA library reading room
    18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 NHHC: Seabee Museum: Seabee Team 1104 and the Battle of Dong Xoai
    19. 1 2 3 Battle at Dong Xoai, BY DANA BENNER ,OCTOBER 2018 (VIETNAM MAGAZINE), HISTORYNET, 1919 Gallows Road, Ste 400, Vienna, VA 22182
    20. Seabee Teams in Vietnam 111963-69, Thomas A. Johnson, Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2010, ISBN   978-1-4611-9210-7
    21. This Week in Seabee History June 10 - June 16, Seabee Museum, Port Hueneme Ca.
    22. This Week in Seabee History June 3 - June 9, Seabee Museum, Port Hueneme Ca. Archived 2018-10-16 at the Wayback Machine
    23. Curator’s Corner: Marvin Shields Memorial, Seabee Museum web page, Seabee Museum, Port Hueneme Ca.
    24. Camp Hansen completed, This Week in Seabee History, Seabee Magazine Sept 16-22, Dr. Frank A. Blazich Jr., NHHC Seabee Museum, Port Hueneme, Ca
    25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 MCB 11 Assoc p. 3
    26. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 62 webpage, Gia-Vuc.Com
    27. Southeast Asia, Building the Bases, Richard Tregaskis, U.S.Government Print Office, 1975, pp. 360-68
    28. Naval History and Heritage Command, U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, The Ghost Battalion
    29. NHHC, Seabee Museum website, MCB 11 cruise-book, 1969, p. 68
    30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 MCB 11 Association website
    31. Dec 23-29, This week in Seabee History, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), SEABEE Online, 1322 Patterson Ave., S.E., Bldg. 33, Suite 1000, Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5065
    32. Official Website for the NCF: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11
    33. 1 2 3 4 The Official Website of the U.S. Navy Construction Force, NMCB 11 History
    34. U.S. Navy News Service Website, Story Number: NNS100827-09Release Date: 27 August 2010 9:01:00 AM, 1200 Navy Pentagon, Washington, DC., "USNS Mercy Marks End of Pacific Partnership 2010 Involvement"
    35. U. S. Navy News Service website, Story Number: NNS100518-08Release Date: 18 May 2010 5:10:00 PM , 1200 Navy Pentagon, Washington, DC. "Seabees Assist USAID in Timor-Leste"
    36. U. S. Navy News Service website, Story Number: NNS100702-06Release Date: 2 July 2010 10:23:00 AM, 1200 Navy Pentagon, Washington, DC. "Joint Effort Leads to Success in Timor"
    37. NMCB 11 Seabees Build First Health Care Facility on Kiritimati Island, Story Number: NNS110114-12Release Date: 1/14/2011, Ensign Joe Painter, Pacific Fleet Public Affairs, Chief of Information US Navy, 1200 Navy Pentagon, Washington DC 20350-1200
    38. U.S.Navy Website: "NMCB 11 completes disaster recovery Mission"
    39. Navy SeaBees Clean Up Debris in Support of Hurricane #Sandy Relief, U.S. Navy, Published on Nov 6, 2012, YouTube
    40. "Building and Enduring Presence" Archived 2018-01-19 at the Wayback Machine , The Military Engineer, Ltjg Frances Hunter & Lt. James A. Harder (NMCB 11), November–December 2017, published by, Society of American Military Engineers, 607 Prince St. Alexandria, VA 22310
    41. Seabee Museum web-site, post WWII cruisebooks, MCB 11, 1953, Seabee Museum, Port Hueneme, Ca.
    42. Seabee Museum web-site, post WWII cruisebooks, MCB 11, 1955-56, Seabee Museum, Port Hueneme, Ca.
    43. US Navy Awards|NAVY HAS MADE ADDRESS NON-PUBLIC, Chief of Naval Operations, 2000 Navy Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20350
    44. List of Award Abbreviations Archived 2017-01-31 at the Wayback Machine , Chief of Naval Operations, 2000 Navy Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20350
    45. OfficialBlogNMCB11
    46. Battle 'E' Peltier Perry Awards", Seabee Museum Archives, Port Hueneme, CA 93043
    47. Commander Naval Construction Battalion U.S. Pacific Fleet, Tân Sơn Nhất, Republic of Vietnam, Completion Report 1963-1972
    48. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 MCB 11 Association p.2
    49. 1 2 3 4 Official website of the U.S. NCF

    Further reading

    1. Southeast Asia, Building the Bases, Richard Tregaskis, U.S.Government Print Office, 1975, pp. 302, 355-60