The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-11-27
sEAbEES BUILD.
SOUTH PACIFIC.
INSTALLATIONS
vital Work Done BY
Uncle S q ms Negro
Navy Personnel

4WO uOusdud NCkiO otoCtS
part OF the 200 now in the navy
ere building a wide variety o.
shore installations az oversea'
bases They comprise the FREEDOM.
tnant personnel OF two construction
battslions. one in the South Pacific
and one in the South Atlantic.
Two more Negro bs,;slions are
ready 70 move 20 undisclosed bases
overseas. At present these two bat
talions are receiving their final
training at the Advance Base De-
pot. Gultport, Miss.
A Seabee Special battalion com.
posed Of Negro personnel is on the
West Coast, at the Advance Base
Depot, Port Hueneme. Calf. from
where shortly IL will embark 10
engage in work for which IL. along
with other similar battalions. is
trained. The Sesbee Specials are
tzught how 20 unload supplies rap
tdly and safely from ships. This
SAabee special will pass not only
ere ammunition. but the food. the
guns the blankets. and all the other
supplies necessary in waging war.
Others In Training
Three other ba,talions OF Negro
eesbee Specials are training al the
Naval Construction training center.
Camp Pesry. Williamsburg. Va,
while at the same camp a fifth
regular construction battalion is
learning TO fight preparatory to
Joining the other four Construction
Bs.tslions in constructing the naval
shore stations which support the
offensive.
These nine bsttsiions. Ave regu.
mr. construction bsttalions and four
specials. are the units to which the
LOO Negro Seabees belong.
The Negro Construction bat
Gallons. like all other battalions of
6eabees. construct the varied and
difficult projects which make up
shore bases overseas. Like other
battalions. they are trained to use
Che rifle, the grenade, or the anti
aircraft gun. They learn all the
military arts 20 that they can de-
fend. In case OF attack. the works
they construct They also know
how to hght as Seabces have done.
20 help wrest from the enemy the
bases on which they will build
shore facilities
Built seapiane Base
Thus the nrst construction bat
Salion made up Of Negro personnel,
was sent to the Solomon Islands.
There. as q whole or split up into
I1aachments. Il vosi<eA on ylorida.
a6aicsnh Tuls6 tahsr- II
J. Thsre the battalion buiit . sea.
plene base. and % worked II that
IN base was In operation during
the entire time Of construction. This
battalion constructed large storage
facilities for fuel for aircraft and
shipa II built storehouses OF all
kinds. barracks for officers and men
shops Of all kinds. two &irplane
landing strips camp quarters roads.
water systems, power plants and
electric distribution lines, telephone
Inca and q public address system
Especially useful In warning OF air
raids. This first Negro battalion
also built a hospital mess hall
fueling station. gun emplacements
and q boat landing II assembled
lighters 10 be used in ferrying sup.
plies from ship to shore. and put
no steel huts
Such projects are typical Of the
work done by Seabees. These works
provide facilities on which ships
and aircraft may be based for at
lacking the enemy. where supplies
for planes and vessels may be
stored, where the equipment. air.
planes. or naval vessels overseas
may be repaired and where base
personnel may be housed and fed
The Seabees build overseas head
quarters for the drive against the
enemy.
Praised By Commander
The navy base commander
praised the frst Negro battalion in
q letter 10 Commander ]. P. Mac
Bean. Jr.. Civil Engineer Corps
U.S.NR.. OF Ligonier. Pa. officer
IN charge Of the battalion. You
pursued your duties with perser.
verance and attention to the OBJ
5ective OF doing fast. workman
Like Job. Your devotion 10 duty
under adverse weather conditions
and enemy air action has the deep
est admiration OF the commander.
base" this superior officer wrote
Seabee Specials are taught the
difficult art Of unloading cargo.
whether IL be food or shells. guns
or tanks. medicines or blankets,
with the utmost speed and safety.
Such special battalions are indi-
apensable at remote. overseas bases
lacking wharfing facilities. The
6esbee Specials provide q three
fold advantage: They get necessary
supplies ashore more quickly to
use In operations against the enc
my. BY unloading ships faster they
permit the vessels to get away SOON
er from the danger OF enemy al
tack. The less time the supply ship
a tfArS m NJ an ovarsaas ro,t sbo