permanent structures. They also completed a
facilities, bunkers, and other facilities needed to
3,500-foot-long, C-130 capable airstrip and carved a
continue the struggle. In accordance with the "mobile"
4-mile road network out of the jungle.
concept of the Naval Construction Force, Seabee units
supported Marine, Navy, Army, and Air Force
Those early years presented many challenges
operations at camps and landing zones throughout RVN
remote location, difficult on-site conditions, adverse
and at such outposts as Con Thien, Khe Sanh, and Gio
weather, extreme heat, material delivery delays,
Linh.
numerous design changes, and problems establishing a
For their efforts in Vietnam, Seabee units and
13,000-mile logistic pipeline. Despite these hardships
individual Seabees received formal recognition in the
Seabees completed 85 percent of construction on nine
form of numerous commendations and medals.
major industrial and support buildings. They cleared
210 acres; and during the preparation of a permanent
In Vietnam, a Seabee, CM3 Marvin E. Shields, a
runway base, they removed 200,000 cubic yards of
member of Seabee Team 1104, was posthumously
unsuitable material and placed 300,000 cubic yards of
awarded the Medal of Honor. This nation's highest
coral. All tested the Seabee "Can Do" motto.
recognition was awarded to CM3 Shields for his heroic
efforts in the defense of a Special Forces camp and
Vietnamese District Headquarters at Dong Xoai.
and what had originally been a 3-year mission for the
Seabees was extended. After building an austere
When de-escalation of U.S. activity in Southeast
communications station, the Seabees were now tasked
Asia got under way, Seabee strength was once more
with building Diego Garcia to provide broader support
reduced. By September 1970, NMCBs were down to the
for U.S. ships and aircraft in the Indian Ocean.
planned post-RVN level of 10 full-size battalions. Once
more, Seabees were being called upon to undertake
By mid-1975, the Seabees completed an entire
major peacetime projects that had been deferred or
Naval Construction Force camp that included berthing,
messing, shops, storage, utilities, and recreation
facilities. Diego Garcia had become a minor naval
POST VIETNAM
activity with a permanent airfield; air operations
buildings; navigational aides; additional com-
Today's Seabees are involved in new and far-
munications facilities; harbor operation facilities; a
reaching construction frontiers, the Indian Ocean, the
large port with petroleum, oil, and lubricating (POL)
Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, and on the ocean
facilities; telephone systems; water distribution; power
floor.
and electrical distribution; sewage systems; five BEQs,
three BOQs, public works facilities, administrative, and
One of the major peacetime projects ever
other support facilities.
undertaken by the Seabees is the complete development,
construction, and operation of the United States
Today, Diego Garcia encompasses a busy support
Ocean. Construction was started in early 1971.
facility, a major fuel storage facility, a permanent pier,
and other support structures. Naval Support Facility,
Prior to 1971, Diego Garcia was a jungle-covered
Diego Garcia, hosts over 15 tenant activities, including
atoll devoid of activity except for a small meteorological
a weather service unit, a Navy broadcasting unit, and
station and a copra plantation. Today, it is a busy naval
support activity, all due to the largest peacetime
runway at Diego Garcia has been lengthened from 8,000
construction effort ever accomplished by the Seabees.
feet to 12,000 feet. The extension permits operation of
This tremendous effort ultimately involved some 14
larger cargo aircraft as well as high-performance,
naval construction force (NCF) commands, 17 battalion
tactical aircraft under a variety of circumstances in the
deployments, and over 60 individual detachment
tropical climate. Other airfield improvements include
deployments. The Seabees completed over 200 Navy
additional parking aprons and arresting gear for
and Air Force projects, valued at over 0 million.
emergency use and limited aircraft maintenance
NMCB 40, the first detachment of Seabees involved
facilities.
in this effort, was deployed by amphibious ship to Diego
At the time Chief of Civil Engineers and
Garcia in March 1971. They landed on the beach and
quickly cleared temporary camp areas. Next, they
Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command,
cleared 15 acres of jungle, which was later used for more
Rear Admiral William M. Zobel praised the Seabee
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