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175 Pages·2001·27.51 MB·English

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A HISTORY
of the
NINErl1Y· FIRST
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NAVAL CONSTRUC1 ION
BA1vfALION
1943 -1945

.. llcdicatcd ..
To those loved ones at home
who ln·igl1tened those long
and lonely 111onths of exile
with their cheering letters
• • •
·FOREWORD·
The eabec' came inlo being hortly after Pead Harbor when t11e Navy
found il elf in dire need of advance base· from which its fighting fleets could
engage Lhe advancing Japanese. Conslruclion men were hastily recruited and,
after a short period o.f military training, were ru hed to the advance areas
where they built air trips, harbox .facilities and ot11er naval installation ,
often while uuder enemy attack. These pioneer battalions paved the way for
the mnny thousand of Seabees to follow an<l tales of their prowes and
courage have in ·pired the later baualions ·'along the road to Tokyo".
The 'incty·first Battalion i more than proud lo be a part of this great organ·
i;r,ation. Not for a moment during these two years in the steaming jungles of
the South Pacific did any of its members lose heart or .falter by the wayside.
The combined efforts of the oflicers and men, working together in complete
harmony, have produced results un tupassed by any other cabce battalfon.
Thi:. hook will Le a history of your life while with this battalion. You can be
justly proud Lo poinL out in it the johs your outfit completed, pictures of your
lmcldirs. your <·umps, nthlctic teams-all wonderful m<'moric·s in the years
lo come.
I am indc ·cl proud to have had the honor of being your commanding officer.
l have never al' ·ociated or worked with a finer group of men.
Lours F.
HEWETT
COMMANDER
LOUIS F. HEWETI
CEC USNR
Officer-in-Cluu·gc
m1 i11 hi,. 1hird )car a:. OfticN·in·Charge of the 91 'l Con· lilf) E11:.:i11l'Cr:- anti 1111 .. \\ rilkn :-C\ crul article:; for the rn~i·
X,.trurtiun llaualion. Commandrr lle\\ctl ha:: been lar~el} m•t•ri ng jou ma Is.
! n·~1u111,.ililc for the cflicirnl nrgnnizulion and smooth-11ork·
in~ 11prralio11 uf this nunil 1111i1. B) modelling his battalion On tlw p<•ri-unal :-id<• thr ~l.ipp<'r is \l'f)' much a family man.
,.lrktl} alo11g 1hc line:> of u privutr ron:-lruclion finn, he ha:. \Ir:-. lle11 ell a11Cl cluuµhtn. Ellr11. arc residing in Xew Yo r!,.
ma11R/ll'd In kcrp rcd·lapc lo u minimum '' hilc gelling the jolt \\ hilc Hohcrl i:; fol11111 in~ in his dad's military fool:<leps as an
1lurw in the :'hortc:ol po:<:>ihlc time. 11Rirrr in a nri~hlll)ring <•al1re hattalion. Father and ,.011 e11·
jn)t•cl a "C\Crul·dn) n·uniun nl our lir:<t base in "\ew Guinea.
In pri1ntl' life Commander llr\\Cll hu" hccn for man) }Cari.
or
prt•,.iclt•nl n11cl rhicf rn;rincer 11( one <J( 'lc11 York·;; leading For a man IHI lo11g1•r in 1he lir,:t hlu!'h youth. the kipprr
rn11trntti11i: firm:.. l mlcr hi:- dirct"tiun this company ha:-: com· pin)" a ,.Jashinl! ;_!anw of 1t•1111i .... i,. u reliable voile) hall ma11
plrtt·1I mall} lnr:;r coru;lruction <·nnlra<'I'-' in lhe metropolitan a11d 1111:. lonf! lic1•11 n nrnin .. ta) tll H'1·ond ha,.e on lhr offirrr. . •
am1. im•ludiu:: a ::crtion of the l\c1\ orl-. :ouhway system. thr i.of1hull leam. lfi.., fomr n:- thl' grniul ho:;l of the .. (•orpion· ..
rn111h10} uml upproache:1 tu the Pulu:oki Sk> war. in addition Cluh" Im:. :-prca<I 1hru11;.d1011t the Pacific and many n vi,:itin;?
lt1 1111111) hn!rl. apurtrncnt nnd onlrc· h11ildi11gs. This cnmpan) diµnil<lr) ha,: hc1•n '' inrd und dined "'ilhin 1hosc fumed
has nl"o owned und tlpcrnlNI grnnitr <p1arries al Gloucc:-lrr, portal,:.
\fu~s .. us Wl'll ui; 11 lurge p11vi11g-block husinos.~.
Thrn11;.!l1 hi:. ut'li11• pn1111ntin11 of all hallalion sporl,: ::111cl
•\ i.:rutlnutc of cw Ynrk Univf•r"ity. tire Commander ::erved 1·1111· rw in lll('lll t ht• C:o111111n ndrr hlli; dnne muc'1 lo foster Ih r fi nr
u,. 11 Firi;t Lieutenant in 1hr Arm)' E11gi11cer:; during World :-pirit of hannon) that r~i-l:. amon;r the men and ofiicers-
\\ ar l. lie hu:- Ion~ hcen n memhcr of both the American 1\ hid1 -ipirit lui-. urr111111lt:'d for much of our surc~s on our
'uri1•I) of Civil Engineer:; and the American Society of ~!iii- 111 crH'a:- c·ou:-truct i1111 n:-.. ig11mc11t!'.
EXECU1'1VE STAFF
As Executive Officer Mr. Johnson has had clurge
of t11e aclministrati,,e functions of the baualion and
has !'upervised lhe general layout and design of our
projects. He was Officer-in-Charge of Lbe detachmcnl
that did such fine work on the amphibious repair
base al Alexishaven. His collateral duties as Secu
rity Officer aucl general expediter manage to keep
him pretty busy.
Ir. Johnson received his engineering educalion
at Armour Tech in Chicago and during his 17 years
uf general construction experience t"in·oughoul the
1Jidwesl he has accumulated a wide knowledge of
con8truction methods and materials.
Mrs. Johnson and Lhe three children, Richard,
Herbert. and Diane are living in Clucago where ther
ure no doubt stocking up those black Havana cigars
in preparation for his homecoming.
LT.-COMDR. BURTH A. JOHNSON
Executive Officei:
Mr. Takacs is also a drnrtl'r nwmher or the battalion from
the Camp Alle11 clays. At our first ba~e he .upervised the build
ing of the 1aval h<>spital Nnv}' 722. the plan and conslTl1clio11
of which ''as high I) prniscd throughout the area. Since tlr:it
time i\fr. Takucs ha$ been in charge of all our construclion
operations as well ns acting ai< Personnel Officer.
During his college clay:> Mr. Tukurs played varsity football
at Rire Institute ancl H11lg<!rs 11ivcrsiL), graduating from the
latter institution in 1927. Tu civilian life he acted as supcri11-
1emlc11t of co11/!ln1ctio11 on many large industrial projects in the
East. A mnrriecl mu11, Mr. Takuci< makes his home in Spring
field, . J. He takes a kel'rt intercRt in all sportii and i11 an
1·xc•ellc111 tennis player.
LT. RALPH A. TAKACS
Operations Officct·
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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _S TAFF
LT. COMDR. JACK HAMMOND, IUC USNR
Doctor Hammond. our senior medical officer, joined us in 'ew Guinea
and Jo:;t no Lime in selling up a nourishing practice. His air of cheerful
assunmce has comforted manr a dirt-stained construction casually and
his spotless sick bay is anrlhing but gloomy while the Doclor is making
his rounds.
After completing his education at Dalhousie University in ova Scotia
Doctor Hammond spent several years at the Lincoln Hospital in rew York
City before entering the service in 1941. His wife and small son, Rt1berl E ..
are residing in Bronx. N. Y., and. like the rest of us. he is anxiouslr await·
ing THAT DAY ...
LT. WILBUR A. STONE, DC USNR
Doctor Stone joined us in June, 1944, as battalion dental officer and since
that lime has experienced no trouble in keeping his appointment book
filled far in advance.
A graduate of Lhe University of New Hampshfre in 1938, Doctor Stone
completed his studies al Tufts College Dental School. Still listed among
the eligible bachelors, he plays a mean game of tennis and is interested
in all sports.
LT. REG rs J. BOYLE, ChC USNR
Our new Chaplain comes Lo us from the state of Pennsylvania where he
received his early religious lraining at St. Anne's College in cranton. He
has led a rnlhcr nomadic existence during his many years of missionary
work throughout the Eastern U. S.
As the only representative of his faith on our crowded little island
Chaplain Boyle has regularly held services for our neighboring Navy
units in addition to his regular religious duties with the battalion.
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