Beginning in 1940, the Navy began a program of building bases on far-flung Pacific islands using civilian contractors. When the United States officially entered the war, the use of civilian labor had to stop. Rear Admiral Ben Moreell, 'Father of the Seabees,' was determined to activate, organize, and man Navy construction units. On Jan. 5, 1942, he gained authority to recruit men from the construction trades for assignment into a Naval Construction Regiment. This is the actual beginning of the renowned Seabees. March 5, 2017 marked the 75th anniversary of the Seabees. For more information about the Seabees, visit the Wikipedia website, the U.S. Navy website, and the U.S. Navy Seabees website.
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