page_title: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133
section_title: Vietnam, MCB 133
hierarchical_section_title: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 / History / Vietnam, MCB 133
caption_attribution_description: English: Ghost Battalion colors
context_page_description: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 is a United States Navy Construction Battalion, otherwise known as a Seabee Battalion, homeported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center. The unit was formed during World War II as the 133rd Naval Construction Battalion. It saw action and was decommissioned shortly after the war ended. The unit was reactivated as Mobile Construction Battalion 133 for the Vietnam War and remains an active unit today.
context_section_description: The battalion was reactivated 12 August 1966 in Gulfport, Mississippi, as a Mobile Construction Battalion. It seems the battalion did not have a copy of the unit History from WWII with the Disney insignia and there was a belief that the battalion's first deployment was supposed to have been Australia.  This belief produced the Kangaroo insignia and the slogan "Kangaroo Can Do".(actually, most CBs have created a new insignia when they were recommissioned)  After completion of training in Gulfport and Camp Lejeune they deployed to Đà Nẵng East, Vietnam.  The battalion was awarded its second Navy Unit Commendation for this tour.  The second deployment to Nam took them to Phu Bai Combat Base.  This time they had a huge project laying 10,000 sheets on matting at that airfield.  During this deployment an urgent airfield was needed at Quảng Trị.   The project was designated "top secret", site "X", and to be completed in under 45 days.  MCBs 1, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 74, 121, and 133 all sent detachments of men and equipment to get the job done.  Those detachments dubbed themselves the Ghost Battalion and chose the Jolly Roger for the Battalion's colors.  The Ghost Battalion was relieved by NMCB 10 and disbanded 1 November 1967.  A "High Priority"  in 1968 was roadwork on Rt 1, the length of Vietnam. In addition to NMCB 133, CBs 1, 4, 7, 8, 11, 53, 58, 62, 71, 74,and 138 all worked concurrently on it. In 1969 the third deployment was to Camp Wilkinson, at Gia Le, 6 miles southeast of Hue.  A large project that time was the repair of the 286-foot center span of the main highway bridge damaged during the Tet Offensive.  The battalion, along with NMCB 128, provided material support to NMCBs 1 and 11 while they repaired the bridge at Bau Phu on Route 1.  At Phu Bai Combat Base MCB 1 had a crew assisting 133 laying asphalt there.
  In 1968 military training was 2 weeks in Gulfport and 4 weeks at Camp Lejuene
  In March 1968 men of MCB 121 took possession of an abandoned non-operational M24 Chaffee tank.  When 133 relieved the 121st the M-24 became theirs.  
  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 "NMCB" used by 133 currently.
  On 18 August 1969, just two months after the battalion deployed, Hurricane Camille made landfall 20 miles west of CBC Gulfport at Waveland, MS.  It would be another 5 months before the men could get home to help their families recover.
  In 1969 the battalion had two Seabee Teams 13303 and 13304
  In 1970 the battalion did a tour where the sun never set on it.  It deployed to Okinawa with detachments to: Guam, Biên Hòa Air Base, Vietnam, Azores and the Aleutians.  This was followed by a deployment of firsts. They were the first Alantic fleet Battalion to serve as the alert Battalion for the Pacific Fleet.  From Okinawa they had detachments to Iwakuni, Japan, Oahu, Hawaii, Biên Hòa, Vietnam and Subic Bay, P.I.  1970 was the transitional year for Seabee involvement in Vietnam.  From then on their deployed strength was drawn down and 133 did not deploy there again.
  NMCB 133 Cruise-books 1967–1977
  Commander Naval Construction Battalion U.S. Pacific Fleet, Tân Sơn Nhất, Republic of Vietnam, Completion Report 1963–1972. Seabee Teams 
  During the 1974 Okinawa Deployment, the battalion lost two Officers in an ambush in the Philippines to unknown assailants.  Commanding Officer Cdr. L.R. Dobler and Lt. Jefferies PI OIC. Also killed was Capt. T. Mitchell Commander 30th NCR.
caption: Ghost Battalion colors at Quang Tri.  The Seabees had 11,000 graves to move in order to construct that airfield. (U.S. Navy)
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