page_title: Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (United States)
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (United States) / Background
caption_attribution_description: English: Stevedore training on the mock ship at the Seabee's Camp Allen, 1943
context_page_description: The Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group is a reserve command in the United States Navy and part of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command.
context_section_description: To most Americans, Williamsburg, Virginia, is known as the Colonial Capital. To the "Combat Stevedores" of the Navy, Williamsburg – or more precisely, Naval Weapons Station Yorktown – Cheatham Annex – is known as the capital of Navy expeditionary logistics.
  The U.S. Navy's first "Combat Stevedores" were the 41 Special Naval Construction Battalions of the Seabees, created during WWII.  Their primary function was stevedoring often in combat situations, 15 of which were segregated units.  The men received the standard mix of USN/USMC training that Seabees received.  After which they, would be put through stevedore schools with complete mock ships built on dry land at the Seabee training centers.  By 1945 they were some of the Navy's first fully integrated units.    The end of the war brought the decommissioning of all 41 battalions.  
  Of note were the actions of the 17th Special(segregated) at Peleliu 15-18 Sept 1944.  The Japanese mounted a counter-attack 0200 D-day nite.  By the time it was over nearly the entire 17th had volunteered to hump ammo to the front lines, bring wounded back, fill where needed on the line and man 37mm that had lost their crews. C Co 1st Battalion 7th Marines was hit hardest that night and was very much in need of the 17ths support.  The 17th remained with the 7th Marines until the right flank had been secured D-plus3.
  Navy Cargo Handling Battalion ONE (NCHB 1) was commissioned 1 October 1949 and was organized after the Special Construction Battalions of World War II.  In 1956 the battalion was an element of Operation Deep Freeze and has deployed there numerous times since.
  In 1965 "the Cargo Handling Battalions from Yorktown, VA (commanded by CDR John Hatfield, SC, USN) and from Subic Bay, PI (commanded by LCDR Hugo Luoto, SC, USN) were deployed to augment Task Group 76.4 in the actual discharge of ships' cargo" for I Corps (South Vietnam) of the III Marine Amphibious Force". 
  More recently, the lessons learned from Operation Desert Storm identified a requirement for a single, multifunctional organization able to provide flexible, deployable transportation and supply support logistics services in any area of the world. Established in 1993, the Naval Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG) was built upon the solid foundation of the Navy Cargo Handling Force (NCHF). The NCHF originated in the 1970s with the establishment of six Reserve Navy Cargo Handling Battalions to support the Marine Corps Maritime Prepositioning Force. The number of battalions grew to 12 in the 1980s.
  Capabilities run the gamut from warehouse and freight terminal management, fuel distribution, tent camp, maintenance and personnel support functions, mail distribution and barbershop, laundry and ship's store to traditional shipboard cargo handling and expeditionary air cargo operations. The NAVELSG mission is to provide transportation (cargo handling) and supply Advanced Base Functional Component support to Navy and Marine Corps operational units. NAVELSG is recognized by all major commanders as the force of choice for transportation and supply professionals, trained and equipped to deploy anywhere in the world and provide effective shore-based logistical support to naval operating forces – "Anytime, Anywhere".
  NAVELSG (Echelon IV), directs four Navy Expeditionary Logistics Regiments (NELR) (Echelon V) and their subordinate Navy Cargo Handling Battalions (NCHBs)(Echelon VI) each battalion composed of one Headquarters Company, four Surface Companies, one Air Cargo Company, two Cargo Transfer Companies, one Fuels Company and two Expeditionary Support Companies. Additionally, each NELR has an Expeditionary Communications Detachment (ECD).
caption: Stevedore training at the Seabee's  training center Camp Allen, VA. 1943. (Seabee Museum)
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