page_title: Amphibious Construction Battalion 1
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Amphibious Construction Battalion 1 / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Yo Do Island ACB 1 refueling Corsairs
context_page_description: Amphibious Construction Battalion ONE is an amphibious construction battalion in the United States Navy based in Coronado, California. Amphibious Construction Battalion TWO is its sister unit based in Little Creek, Virginia.
context_section_description: World War II – 104th Naval Construction Battalion
  ACB-1 was originally commissioned at Camp Peary, Williamsburg, Virginia, 16 July 1943, as the 104th Naval Construction Battalion and was sent to Camp Endicott, Gulfport, Mississippi.  During World War II CBs sent to the Pacific were attached to one of the four Amphibious Corps:  I, III, and V were U.S. Marine Corps (under Admiral Nimitz, CINCPOA, Pearl Harbor) while VII Amphibious Corps was U.S. Army (under General MacArthur, SWPA, Brisbane, Australia). During WWII there were five battalions tasked with pontoons, barges and the building of ship to shore causeways: CBs 70, 81, 111, 128, and 302. The 104th was attached to VII Amphibious group in 1943 and sent to Gamadodo, Milne Bay, New Guinea; Australia in 1944; and Leyte, Philippine Islands, 1945. During these two years, the 104th completed numerous land based construction projects ranging from an airfield on Los Negros Island, in the Admiralties, to Naval Air Station Cubi Point on island of Leyte in the Philippines.  The battalion was eventually deactivated in Dec 1945.
  In January 1947, the 104th was reactivated and first began their Amphibious mission when the unit was tasked with "the assembly and placement of pontoon structures, beach rehabilitation, harbor development, salvage, and training of reservist in these operations". In October 1950, it was recognized by the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Forrest Sherman, that the 104th and 105th NCBs had specialized capabilities that separated them from the other Naval Construction Battalions and were re-designated Amphibious Construction Battalion One and Two.
  Korean War – Amphibious Construction Battalion ONE
  During the Korean War several detachments were deployed to the Western Pacific in support of amphibious operations.  In the September 1950, invasion of Inchon a pontoon causeway was brought into Inchon Harbor on D-Day plus 1 to be used a tide level landing.  General Douglas MacArthur came ashore over this pier on D plus 2.
  A month after 15 September 1950, landing at Inchon, ACB-1 moved to the east coast of Korea and again supported the 1st Marine Division. This time they landed at the port city of Wonsan as part of the 1st Marine Division's shift from the Inchon-Seoul area to the northeast coast of Korea. While the Marines moved north to positions in the Chosin Reservoir area, the Seabees built piers and unloaded ships.
  On 21 September 1950 a detachment from ACB 1 went into Seabee history.  Aerial reconnaissance reported eight locomotives trapped by broken rail lines in the Yong Dong Po switch yard eight miles North of Inchon.  The 10 Seabees, led UT Chief Bloomer, volunteered to attempt to liberate the engines from behind enemy lines.  Adjacent to the switch yard was a Kirin Beer Brewery where the Seabees liberated cases of beer to be returned to the South also.  They fired the engines and repaired the rails as they went returning to American lines. UTC Donald T. Bloomer, CM1 Welton N. Horn and CM2 Gordon K. Barnett received a letter of commendation with a ribbon and the combat "V" from the Admiral of the 7th Fleet for bravery in the exploit.  The engines were turned over to the U.S. Army Transportation Corps.
  Operation Crippled Chick: The assignment to build the emergency landing strip behind enemy lines on Yo Do island, fell to ACB-1s Detachment George. Led by Lt. T.E. Rowe, Detachment George was composed of one warrant machinist, six chief petty officers and 69 Seabee enlisted men. Six of these Seabees had landed at Inchon two years earlier. The seabees named the runway Briscoe Field for the Commander of the fleet Admiral Robert P. Briscoe
  Vietnam
  ACB 1 was the first CB to deploy to Vietnam as a component of Task Force 90  "Passage to Freedom" in 1954.  That year an agreement was reached in Geneva recognizing the Communist government of North Vietnam which allowed for people residing in the North to move South before 15 May 1955.   Both ACBs were assigned to TF-90. Nine years later, in 1964 ACB 1 would return as the first CB in the Vietnam war.
  Gulf War – Soma
caption: Yo Do Island ACB 1 refueling Corsairs 15 July 1952 (USN)
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