Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 302
Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 302 | |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Branch | USN |
Homeport | Cam Ranh Bay, Republic of Vietnam |
Anniversaries | 31 March 1967 commissioned July 1994 decommissioned |
Engagements | Vietnam War Operation Provide Comfort |
Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit THREE ZERO TWO (CBMU-302) of the
History
On 16 August 1967, CBMU-302's Advance Party of fifty men were deployed to Cam Ranh Bay, Republic of Vietnam (RVN).[1]
On 15 September 1967, the Main Body of the Battalion flew to the U.S. Naval Support Facility, Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam.
The main mission of CBMU-302 was to perform base maintenance and public works functions at the various U.S. Navy and
In September 1969, the battalion's mission was expanded to include the Dependent Shelter Construction Program. This effort involved the construction of permanent structures to house Vietnamese Navy Sailors and their families at naval facilities in II, III, and IV Corps. In Sept. 1970, CBMU-301 began leaving Vietnam for decommissioning (they too were engaged in the Dependent Shelter Program in I Corps). At that time, CBMU-302 moved up into I Corps to take over CBMU-301's job sites (notably at
Given the huge expanded role of both battalions due to the Shelter program, general labor personnel were needed since there were not enough trained Seabees available. U.S. Navy Sailors from the other three Navy communities (
) were assigned to both units. Having limited, or no construction skills, these men quickly learned their jobs of mixing mortar, laying block, placing concrete, stringing electrical lines, carpentry, etc. Their efforts was needed and appreciated, especially considering they were serving in a combat zone. In the end the good intentions of the Shelter Program were lost on RVN sailors who did not want to move their family's into government housing that they saw as a potential target for the Viet Cong.During the battalion's time in Vietnam, it:
- Was the first CB to operate in the three lower divisions of the Republic of Vietnam (Corps Tactical Zones II, III, IV)
- Became the largest Seabee battalion since WWII
- In Oct 1970, the only CB to operate in all four Corps Tactical Zones at the same time
- Was the only CB to have Seabees authorized to wear a shoulder patch for being members of a Naval Construction Action Team.[4]
- Was the longest serving CB in Vietnam with over 4.5 years service.
In April 1971, the battalion's headquarters relocated from Cam Ranh Bay to the large Army base at Bien Hoa.
CBMU-302 was the last Seabee battalion to leave the Vietnam war zone, folding its colors at its base-camp in Bien Hoa, RVN on 22 January 1972 then redeploying back to Port Hueneme, CA. During the unit's short stay in Port Hueneme, it was downsized and fitted out with new personnel for its new role of maintenance for a single navy base.
April 1972 CBMU-302 deployed with one officer and twenty-five enlisted men to
CBMU-302 constructed Camp Jefferies to support Construction Battalion Detachments deployed to the Subic Bay and
The unit was transferred to Guam from Subic Bay to perform the same overall mission of facilities support. CBMU-302 was decommissioned in Guam in 1994.[1]
Vietnam deployments
The first teams deployed were called Mobile Construction Details or 'Dets' This is a list of locations and the Corp Tactical zone it is located in.
Detail | Location | Region |
---|---|---|
Det. Alpha | Qui Nhơn |
2 |
Det. Bravo | Nha Trang | 2 |
Det. Charlie | Cat Lo | 3 |
Det. Delta | Đồng Tâm | 4 |
Det. Echo | Sa Đéc | 4 |
Det. Foxtrot | Binh Thuy |
4 |
Det. Golf | Cam Ranh Bay | 2 |
Det. Hotel | An Thoi Naval Base | 4 |
Det. India | Bến Lức | 4 |
Det. Sierra | Nhà Bè | 3 |
Det. Sparks | Nha Trang | 2 |
Det. Juliet | Đồng Tân | 4 |
Starting in 1970, President
Team | Location | Region |
---|---|---|
NAVCAT-1 | Da Nang | 1 |
NAVCAT-2 | NSF – Cam Ranh Bay | 2 |
NAVCAT-3 | VNNTC – Cam Ranh Bay | 2 |
NAVCAT-4 | Thu Duc | 3 |
NAVCAT-5 | Ben Luc |
4 |
NAVCAT-6 | An Thoi | 4 |
NAVCAT-7 | Dong Tam | 4 |
NAVCAT-8 | Cuu Long |
2 |
NAVCAT-9 | Nha Trang | 2 |
NAVCAT-11 | Hon Khoi | 2 |
NAVCAT-12 | Binh Ba Is./ Cam Ranh Bay | 2 |
NAVCAT-13 | Rach Dua/ Chu Lai | 2 |
NAVCAT-14 | An Khan | 3 |
NAVCAT-15 | Qui Nhơn |
2 |
NAVCAT-16 | NAF Cam Ranh Bay/ Block Plant | 2 |
NAVCAT-17 | Rach Soi | 4 |
NAVCAT-18 | Saigon/ Block Plant | 3 |
NAVCAT-19 | Tân Mỹ Base | 2 |
NAVCAT-20 | Nam Canh | 4 (Nam Canh – Wikipedia tiếng Việt) |
NAVCAT-21 | Cou La Rae Is. | 3 |
NAVCAT-22 | Chợ Mới |
4 |
NAVCAT-23 | Poulo Obi | 3 |
Commanding officers
- LT Melvin H. Harper, CEC; Apr 1967 – Sept 1968, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN
- LCDR Herman. W. Filbry, CEC; Sept 1968 – Aug 1969, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN
- LCDR Heywood H. Harrell, CEC; Aug 1969 – Aug 1970, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN
- CDR Henry Keppel, CEC; Aug 1970 – Aug 1971, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN
- CDR. D. Gordan Wilson, CEC; Aug 1971 – Feb 1972, Bien Hoa, RVN
- Lt. Walter Tomiak, CEC; Feb 1972 – Oct 1973 Bien Hoa, RVN.
- LT James W. MacLaughlin; CEC; Oct 1973 – 1975, Subic Bay, PI.
- LT William Davis, CEC; 1975 – 1978, Subic Bay, PI.
- LT Douglas K. Ault, CEC; 1979 – 1981, Subic Bay, PI.
- LT/LCDR Samual S. Williams, CEC; 1981 – 1983, Subic Bay, PI.
- LCDR Jon C. Wyman, CEC; 1983 – 1985; Subic Bay, PI.
- LT R. J. Clark, CEC; 1985 – 1987; Subic Bay, PI.
- LT J. Smythe. CEC; 1987–1990, Subic Bay, R.P
- LT M. R. Libonate, CEC; 1990 – 1992; Camp Covington, Guam
- LT Keith S. Hamilton, CEC; 1994 – 22 July 1994, Camp Covington, Guam
Unit awards
Vietnam Service 11 awards
- Navy Unit Commendation: with two bronze stars, (3 awards) Vietnam
- Navy Meritorious Unit Commendationwith bronze star (2 awards)
- Gallantry Crosswith Palm Unit Award
- Vietnam Civil Actions Medal(individual award)
- Vietnam Service Medal: – 11 awards
- Vietnam Campaign Medal service ribbon with 60– Device : (11 campaign award periods)
- Joint Meritorious Unit Award :
- Navy Expeditionary Medal
- National Defense Service Medal Vietnam
- National Defense Service Medal
- Humanitarian Service Medal :
- Humanitarian Service Medal :
- Navy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon(7 awards)
- Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon(15 awards)
- Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation
See also
- Admiral Ben Moreell
- Amphibious Construction Battalion One(ACB-1)
- Amphibious Construction Battalion TWO(ACB-2)
- Civil Engineer Corps United States Navy
- Naval Construction Battalion aka Seabee
- Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
- Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
- Naval Construction Battalion Center (Gulfport, Mississippi)
- Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme
- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1
- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3
- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4
- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5
- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11
- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 25
- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133
- Operation Provide Comfort
- Seabees
- Seabees in World War II
References
- ^ a b c d e f CBMU 302 Cruisebook 1967-69, NHHA, Seabee Museum, Port Hueneme, Ca [1]
- ^ NAVCAT 12 patch,Lee-Jackson Militaria, POB 8663, San Jose, CA 95155-8663 [2]
- ^ Southeast Asia, Building the Bases, Richard Tregaskis, U.S.Government Print Office, 1975, p. 403 [3]
- ^ U.S. Navy Seabees to drop anchor in Walla Walla Oct. 6-9, Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, 2016-09-28 [4]
Further reading
- Southeast Asia: Building the Bases the History of Construction in Southeast Asia by Richard Tregaskis, ISBN 9781456317799, 2010 copyright by Binhhamus Press, 2010 Edition. CBMU-302 material can be found on pages 172, 358, 436.