We Build, We Fight - a PDH Online Course for Engineers, Architects and Surveyors

We Build, We Fight

J.M. Syken

Course Outline

Through the viewing of archival/documentary films produced in the 1940s and 1970s, we will examine the history of the Seabees (Construction Battalions) starting with their formation in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack under the auspices of the U.S. Navy’s Bureau of Yards and Docks and the direction of the USN’s Civil Engineering Corps.

We will examine their many contributions as combat engineers during WWII including campaigns in the Aleutian Islands, Solomon Islands, Sicily, Italy and France(D-Day). We will also examine their role in repairing ships and building naval facilities in bases where they were assigned in the United Kingdom during the war. Also, we’ll examine the role the Seabees play in domestic civilian emergencies such as was demonstrated in the aftermath of Hurricane Camille in August 1969.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student will:

Understand/appreciate the role civilian workers played in naval operations prior to Pearl Harbor;
Understand/appreciate the need for combat engineering battalions who could perform the many tasks required of both civil and/or combat engineers during wartime with the ability to become combatants when necessary;
Understand/appreciate the many campaigns during WWII in which the Seabees participated and played a pivotal role;
Understand/appreciate the many innovations the Seabees pioneered in the field of combat engineering; and
Understand/appreciate the civilian/peacetime role of the Seabees as demonstrated by their response to Hurricane Camille which directly affected their Gulfport, MS. Base.

Intended Audience

This course is intended for architects, engineers, contractors and other design/construction professionals.

Benefit to Attendees

The attendee/s will gain an intimate knowledge and insight into the background, history and operation of Naval Construction Battalions

Course Introduction

The course incorporates the viewing of several archival/documentary films broken down as follows;

Part 1 – War
Part 2 – Peace

Part 1 examines the origins and need for naval construction battalions in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack, the formation of the battalions and their Pacific, Mediterranean and European operations during WWII. Part 2 examines the civilian/peacetime role of the Seabees as exemplified in their response to Hurricane Camille.

Course Content

Part 1 – War;
TITLE: Seabees. Department of the Navy. Bureau of Yards and Docks (ca.1944)
LINK: http://archive.org/details/gov.archives.arc.40139
DURATION: 43:58
TITLE: Seabees Report: European Operations (1945)
LINK: http://archive.org/details/SeabeesReport_EuropeanOperations
DURATION: 29:13
Part 2 – Peace;
TITLE: Camille and the Seabees (1971)
LINK: http://archive.org/details/gov.dod.dimoc.25580
DURATION: 15:01

Course Summary

When the first Seabee battalions were formed, many older men who were experienced in construction, ship repair, engineering etc. volunteered their services and/or were assigned to the naval construction battalions. Among the Marines (also under the auspices of the U.S. Navy) who they served alongside, the joke was: “Don’t hit a Seabee, his grandson may be a Marine.” The joke didn’t last long after the Fighting Seabees proved their worth and valor in the many island campaigns of the Pacific and Mediterranean/European landing operations. “Can Do” - a Seabee’s response when asked to do the difficult and/or impossible, sums up the philosophy and mission of the United States Navy’s fighting engineers.

Related Links

For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seabee_%28US_Navy%29

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25m0Ng0SroE&list=PLMm-PdcMVhsxSrdcvVrJRncrN_NZHFvV1&index=6
(Film - Seabees of WWII - 43:40)

https://archive.org/stream/CanDo#page/n9/mode/2up
(Book - Can Do! The Story of the Seabees - 1944)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbofWRDiVOY
(Film - History of Military Engineering - 1:18:00)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN8x_-be8Ss
(Film: They Came to an Island - 39:47)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMoOHi16Ne0
(Film: Seabees in Normandy - 23:10)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqAr4eQaW3o
(Film: Advance Base - 24:58)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kExjSLTJTw0
(Film: Seabees Report - European Operations - 29:13)

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.