Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133
NMCB 133 insignia
Active	17 September 1943 – 1946 12 August 1966 – present
Country	United States
Branch	USN
Homeport	Construction Battalion Center Gulfport
Nickname(s)	"Runnin' Roos"
Motto(s)	"Kangroo Can Do"
Engagements	World War II Vietnam War Operation Provide Comfort Gulf War Operation Joint Endeavor Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Commanders
Current commander	CDR Miguel Dieguez

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 is a United States Navy Construction Battalion, otherwise known as a Seabee Battalion is homeported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi. (aka: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One Three Three – or – One Thirty Three) The unit was formed during WWII as the 133rd Naval Construction Battalion. It saw action and was decommissioned shortly after the war ended. The unit was reactivated as the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 for the Vietnam War and remains an active unit today.

WWII – Iwo Jima: 133 Naval Construction Battalion

Fig. 1

Fig.2: LSM 206 was loaded with A Co 133's Shore Party equipment & 3 D8s at approx. 0935 were landed on the wrong beach Red Beach 2

Fig.3: LSM 202 was loaded with B Co 133's Shore Party equipment and D8s. 133's Shore Party left side of photo

Fig.4: 133 Plaque from the estate of Lt Col Joseph J. McCarthy It is zinc and probably cast from expended ammunition clips.

The unit's history began on 17 September 1943 at Camp Peary, Virginia, where it was commissioned as the 133rd Naval Construction Battalion (NCB). After 7 months of training at Davisville, Gulfport and Port Hueneme the Battalion's first overseas assignment was NAS Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii (May–Oct 1944). On 15 October 1944 the Battalion received word that it was going to be attached to the 4th Marine Division. 30 October the Battalion was posted TAD to the 4th for the Assault on Iwo Jima, which happened on 19 February 1945. Before joining the 4th at Camp Maui, the men were put through the Pacific Jungle Combat Training Center (CTC) on Oahu, TH. And once assigned to the 23rd Marines the Battalion was de-organized with each Company posted to a different component of the 23rd before receiving their SP training. The Battalion's Shore Party assignment was to provide the beach support required by the forward lines of the 23rd,24th, and 25th Marines. The Division shipped out for Island "X" on 31 December with V Amphibious Corps. It wasn't until they were a few days out the men learned it was for a place they had never heard of called Iwo Jima. The assault for Iwo was based upon Tinian where the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions assault was "reinforced" by the 18th and 121st NCBs. On D-plus 3 the Jap airfield was secured and the Seabees had it operational in a few hours.(Fig. 1 indicates the Marines planned to have control of Iwo Jima in 3 days also) For Iwo the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions were "reinforced" by the 133rd and 31st NCBs. Marine planning maps indicate that O1 (objective Day 1) Motoyama Airfield No. 1 would be secured and 133 was assigned to get it operational. However, on D plus 5 that assignment was given to the 31st NCB due to the losses 133 had suffered. The next day 62 NCB landed, with the 3rd Marine Division (which was the assault reserve Division), and became the lead Battalion for Airfield No. 1. The 31st was assigned Airfield No. 2 and the 133rd was given Airfield No. 3. In just seven days the heavy equipment of the 3 combined Battalions had Airfield No. 1 operational. The battle for Iwo Jima took 26 days. During that time the 133rd suffered 328 casualties, with 3 officers and 39 enlisted killed in action while an additional 2 were MIA. It was the price paid for having the distinction of being ordered into USMC fatigues and landing Battalion Strength in an Assault as a Marine unit. They were deployed as a USMC Pioneer Battalion. Those losses were the highest for any Seabee unit ever. 133 NCB was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for its part in the Battle. Before that happened the Battalion crushed over 100,000 tons of rock, moved over 1 million cubic yards of earth, laid 5,800 feet of drainpipe, installed 4,000 feet of conduit and poured 725 yards of concrete. 133 leveled the site and built the entrance of the 4th's Cemetery on Iwo. In December 1945, with the military down-sizing from WWII, the Battalion was decommissioned due to the reduced need for the existing Naval Construction force.

The 133rd that landed on Iwo Jima had an Insignia drawn by Hank Porter at the Walt Disney Studios Insignia Department. A second class Jack E. Dorn – 3rd platoon D Co. sent a request to the Disney Studios on 9 December 1944 from Camp Maui, TH. The Studios received it on 26 December and sent the completed design to the Battalion in June 1945. The Battalion received Disney's drawing on Iwo Jima. That insignia was of a Seabee walking, carrying a Hammer and Monkey Wrench while chewing his Stem-of-Oats. "RAIN-MAKERS" was the moniker those men used as they felt it Rained everywhere they went.(the Fightingfourth website states it "Rained-how it Rained" at Camp Maui and on Iwo it poured on D-plus 3) It also was the name they used on the Unit History published in 1946. (click on 133 external link very bottom of page) see p. 6 for Disney Insignia, p. 49 for PO2 Dorn, p. 96 for Jungle Training, p. 97 Camp Maui

The 133rd NCB and the 4th Marine Pioneer Battalion were the primary units that composed the Assault Battalion's Shore Parties for the 23rd and 25th Regimental Combat Teams (RCT) on the 4th Marine Division's Yellow and Blue Beaches. ( Fig. 8, 9,& 10) The 4th Marine Division had just one Pioneer Battalion, the 4th, which was assigned to the 25th RCT. Therefore, another Pioneer Battalion was needed for the 23rd RCT's Assault and the Marines thought 133 would satisfy that need. Choosing the Seabees for the Shore party was a fortuitous decision by the Marines that has gone mostly unrecognized. The Seabees brought with an organic element the Marines did not have i.e. bulldozers with winches and D8s 132–148 Hp compared to the Marine's TD 18s 72–80 Hp. Afterwards the Combat Reports recommended all USMC bulldozers be equipped with winches as they had none. It's history that "on the Beach at Iwo, bulldozers proved to be worth their weights in Gold" and the Seabees had the biggest and the best.(Fig. 8) See Rainmaker's Log for the one that 133 lost to a mine on D-Day.

Hq Co was posted to the 23rd Marines support group and was the Hq for yellow beaches 1 and 2. They came ashore at 1445 from the APA 196 – USS Logan. The Company's 2 security sections were put on the line until their ratings were needed on the beach. The medics had one Dr. MIA another Dr. and Dentist wounded while many of their corpsman were casualties. Even so, 133's corpsman established a Medevac station on blue 1.

A Co was posted to 1st Battalion 23rd Marines or 1/23 which was the Left Assault Battalion for yellow beach. D-day they landed a 0935 on yellow beach 1 from APA 158 – USS Newberry and LSM 206.(Fig. 2, 8 & 11) 1/2 of A Co 4th Pioneers was posted to A Co 133 to share their combat experience and knowledge. One of A Co's security sections(30 men) landed in 4 LCVPs with one 7-man gun crew and 37mm Gun M3 in each craft. A Co's other security section landed on the heels of the first wave. I/23 was so decimated that 3/23 relieved them from the line by evening of D-day. D-plus3 the entire 23rd was in such a bad way that it was placed in Corps Reserve, replaced by the 21st RCT from the 3rd Marines. At that time 133's Shore Parties were consoldated on yellow 1 while the 3rd Pioneers landed on yellow 2 for the 21st until D-plus6.

B Co was posted to 2nd Battalion 23rd Marines or 2/23 which was the Right Assault Battalion for yellow beach. They also landed at 0935 but on yellow 2 from the APA 207 – USS Mifflin and LSM 202.(Fig. 3) The other half of A Co 4th Pioneers was posted to B Co 133. B Co's security sections landed the same as A Co. 133's gun crews were the first artillery of any kind on both beaches and were immediately tasked with supporting the assault.

C Co was posted to the 3rd Battalion 23rd Marines or 3/23 which was the reserve Assault Battalion for yellow beach. They landed D-day at 1220 from the APA 154 – USS Lowndes and LSM 145.(Fig. 11) Their security section advanced to the edge of the airfield. (Anecdotally-click on Joseph J. McCarthy and Fig. 4. Historical note: A WWII Seabee Security Section was the equivalent of what is today called a Heavy Weapons Platoon.) The beach-master made C Co Commander the Commander of yellow beach 2 on D-plus 6 when the 21st's Shore Parties moved to black beach (which was created from the right half of beach red2 and the left half of yellow1). See the "External links" section below for Col. Shelton Scales comments on C Co. 133 and also read the Log for yellow and blue Beach's Shore Parties D-day through D-plus 18.

D Co was posted to the 4th Pioneer Battalion's reserve. The 25th Marines lists them in their "support group". However, the 4th Marine Div. Operations Report of April 1945 places them in the 25th's "Assault reserve" with 2/25 on APA 190 the USS Pickens. The 25th had just 2 LSMs assigned to the Shore Party so it appears D Co's equipment would have been on LSTs. They landed at 1600 on blue 2. They were "tactically disposed" and told to dig in.

USN WWII phonetic alphabet A = Able, B = Baker, C = Charlie, D = Dog

The Unit Histories of both the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions state that the conditions on the beach for the (Red Patch) Shore Parties and the (yellow patch) USN Beach Parties were worse than the front lines. D-day all personnel were initially employed to aid the evacuation of casualties. From D-day until D-plus 5 the men were on duty 24 hrs a day and by D-plus 3 were nearly dropping from exhaustion. D-plus 5 to D-plus 8 the men worked 4 hrs on 4 hrs off. From D-plus 8 to D-plus 14 they worked 4 hrs on 8 hrs off. On D-plus14 they were put on 8 hr shifts. The Corpsman, Security sections, Equipment Operators and Truck Drivers WERE ON DUTY AT ALL TIMES NECESSARY from the beginning to the end of the assault phase. On D plus 18 (9 March) 133's Companies were relieved by the Army Garrison Shore Party. The Battalion reorganized and returned to the Navy.

The Battalion was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation the same as the other 3 Shore Party Battalions: i.e. 4th Marine Pioneer Battalion, 5th Marine Pioneer Battalion and 31st Naval Construction Battalion. However, the unit is incorrectly listed in the NUC Section of the Iwo Jima awards. It should read "133rd NCB (less Companies A, B, C,and D)". This is how the 4th and 5th Pioneer Battalions were listed. Had this been done then A, B, C and D Companies would have been listed in the PUC section for being assigned to their respective Assault Battalions 1/23, 2/23, 3/23 and 2/25 exactly the way the Pioneer Companies were for their PUC's. It appears that the 4th did not follow protocol and put the entire Battalion up for the PUC. It was a grand complement but, the Battalion itself was designated "Support" so it was automatically rejected. Marine Commandant Gen. Vandergrift recommended that the PUC be given to All the "Assault" units and the NUC to those designated "Support". Fox Annex to the 4th Marine Division's Operations Reports, dated April 1945, lists 133's Companies individually as "Assault". A footnote to the awards is that in addition to all the Purple Hearts 133's men received 10 Bronze Stars and 29 Marine Commendations.

On 28 September 1945 the 9th Construction Brigade informed 8,31,and 133 NCBs that they were detached from the 41st Construction Regiment on Iwo Jima and would act independently until reassigned. In October some of 133's men went with the 31st NCB to Sasebo, Japan for the occupation reconstruction (and were discharged at Bremerton, WA in Jan. 1946). Shortly after the 31st left the 133rd herself headed home to be decommissioned stateside in Dec. 1945.

Vietnam

The Battalion was reactivated 12 August 1966 in Gulfport Mississippi as a Naval Mobile Construction Battalion. It seems the Battalion did not have a copy of the unit History from WWII with the Disney insignia and there was a belief that the Battalion's first deployment was supposed to have been Australia. This belief produced the Kangaroo insignia and the slogan "Kangaroo Can Do". After completion of training they deployed to Da Nang, Vietnam. The Battalion was awarded its second Navy Unit Commendation for this tour. The second deployment took them to Phu Bai Combat Base, Vietnam. This time they had a huge project laying 10,000 sheets on matting at that airfield. In 1969 the third deployment took the Battalion to Camp Wilkinson 6 miles southeast of Hue. One the projects this time was repairing the 286' center span of the main highway bridge damaged during the Tet Offensive.

• On 18 August 1969, just two months after the Battalion deployed, Hurricane Camille made landfall 20 miles from Gulfport at Waveland, MS. It would be another 5 months before the men could get home to help their families recover and aid in the aftermath.

. In 1970 the Battalion did a tour where the Sun never set on it. It deployed to Okinawa with detachments to : Guam, Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, Azores and the Aleutians. This was followed by a deployment of firsts. They were the first Alantic fleet Battalion to serve as the alert Battalion for the Pacific Fleet. From Okinawa they had detachments to Iwakuni, Japan, Oahu, Hawaii, Bien Hoa, Viet Nam and Subic Bay, P.I. 1970 was the transitional year for Seabee involvement in Vietnam. From then on their deployed strength was drawn down and 133 did not deploy there again.

During the 1974 Okinawa Deployment the Battalion lost two Officers in an ambush in the Philippines to unknown assailants. Commanding Officer Cdr. L.R. Dobler and Lt. Jefferies PI OIC. Also killed was Capt. T. Mitchell Commander 30th NCR.

Iraq

In March 1991 the Battalion deployed to Spain and was ordered to send it's AirDet to Zakho, Iraq on 1 April. Three weeks later on the 22nd orders came to recall all Detachments and for the main body to redeploy to Zakho as a component of Operation Provide Comfort. This took the Battalion to Iraq assigned to the Army's 18th Engineer Brigade. When the Main Body mounted out of Rota it's equipment was sent by sea to Iskenderum Turkey. From there it was convoyed 400 miles to Zakho, Iraq. NMCB 133's base was established in a walled compound called Camp Sommers with the Headquarters of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and the 18th Engineer Brigade. Operation Provide Comfort had two Joint Task Forces with JTF Bravo headed by the 24th MEU. Due to the amount of work they were tasked with the Battalion went to 12-hour days. It was an emergency service relief effort that originally was thought would take 3 months. However, due to the large number of Kurds returning home from the refugee/displaced person camps 133 was able leave after 8 weeks.

Bosnia

December 1995 into 1996, in support of the Implementation Force (IFOR) code named Operation Joint Endeavour an Air Det Heavy of 170 men deployed to the Sava River crossing at Zupanja, Croatia. There they constructed the first and very urgently needed displaced persons tent camp of the Implementation Force. Renovation of the NATO Commander's facilities in Sarajevo was one project. Detail Juliet Echo was assigned the construction of camps for the US Army's 16th Corps Support Group in Croatia and the 1st Armored Division's Ready 1st Combat Team in Bosnia.

In March 1998 the Battalion sent a Det of 217 men back to Bosnia to build SEAHuts and do bridge repair work.

Iraq

Fig.5: 133 rebuilds Sarabadi Bridge in 2003 near Hillah, Iraq

January and February 2003 saw the Battalion deployed in support of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force operationally assigned to the 1st MEF Engineer Group. In Southern Iraq the Battalion created a POW facility for 14,000, provided defense for 2 bridges and maintenance to the main supply routes as part of Task Force Charlie. Task Force Charlie was made up of NMCB-4, NMCB-74, NMCB-133, CBMU-303 and SU-2 and had a base in Kuwait, Camp Moreell. The men also assembled the largest pontoon bridge since WWII, at Zubadiyah, North of Al Kut, on the Tigris. Another bridge they worked on was the Sarabadi, near Hillah, where they used a Mabey-Johnson Bridge to repair the existing damaged one. The Battalion lost a man to a non-combat explosion there from unexploded ordinance. In addition, the Battalion completed 60 major Civil Action Projects in Kuwait and Iraq. see (Fig. 5) The unit was active in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

2005–present

Fig. 6: Det Gitmo 2007 building a temporary ferry pier on the Leeward side

Fig. 7: NMCB 133 Supports C-130 Aircraft Repair in Rota 2014 for Fleet Logistics Sqd. 62

Fig. 8: yellow beach 1, LSM 206 and 23rd Marines Shore Party A Co 133rd NCB. Crane is loading one LVT for run to the front while 2 more wait

On 29 August 2005 Hurricane Katrina came through the central Gulf Coast, taking many lives and causing catastrophic damage to the homes and businesses of countless residents. Within a day, the Seabees from battalions of NMCB 1, 7, and 133 rushed out to clear roads so emergency workers could access hard hit areas.

In the ensuing weeks, NMCB 133 provided extensive humanitarian aid around the area, including the critical repair of lift stations, cleaning and repair of government buildings and schools, and the distribution of food, water and clothing to local residents in need.

As these important projects were going on, teams from the battalion were deployed to assist Seabees whose homes were affected by Katrina. In NMCB 133, 118 out of 659 people either lost their homes entirely or had them damaged so badly they were uninhabitable. Those Seabees and their families either sought refuge in warehouses on base or with friends and family.

Only two months later, the Roos were ready to deploy in November 2005. NMCB 133 deployed to numerous sites throughout Southwest Asia, with additional details in Guam and Whidbey Island. In Iraq, the Runnin' Roos of NMCB 133 supported Marines, Special Operations Forces and Iraqi Security Forces.

The NMCB 133 2007 deployment involved four continents.(Fig. 6) The Battalion worked in support of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) building schools in remote villages and making clean water available to locals. A detail assigned to "New Horizons" built schools in rural Belize. NMCB 133 also had a presence in São Tomé, working in cooperation with Underwater Construction Team ONE (UCT 1) to rebuild the only boat launch available to the country's Coast Guard.

Over the next few years, the Battalion made two separate deployments to Iraq and Okinawa, Japan. NMCB 133's Seabees built the foundation for new buildings on White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa and restored running water to a village in Kemaman district of Malaysia that had not had such a luxury in over three years. A 35-foot wind-powered turbine and solar panel were installed to provide power to the pump.

Following the end of the PACOM tour, the Roos redeployed to Gulfport, MS for a 15-month homeport and training cycle. In March 2010, the Battalion deployed over 600 Seabees from Gulfport to Afghanistan in support of the 30,000 troop surge.

NMCB 133 successfully set up a site on Kandahar Airfield (KAF), Afghanistan which was used as their mainbody site. The site consisted of nothing more than a bed of gravel when they arrived. Within a month, the battalion had a fully operational Seabee camp. They constructed buildings, set up tents, and worked with an adjacent Army unit to supply power.

Among the list of accomplishments completed by NMCB 133's Runnin' Roos, the following were most noteworthy:

• The drilling of a well over 1,210 feet (370 m) deep that produces approximately 25,000 US gallons (95,000 L; 21,000 imp gal) of water per day.
• The construction of many Southwest Asia (SWA) Huts over many locations throughout Afghanistan.
• Construction and electrical distribution to many living quarters, shower units, and dining facilities.
• Significant perimeter expansion of four forward operating bases.
• Construction of numerous crow's nest observation towers.
• The construction/expansion of 3 helicopter landing pads.

In October 2010, NMCB 133 received the Atlantic Fleet Best of Type Battle "E" award for its outstanding efforts during the CENTCOM deployment.

In March 2011, the battalion once again deployed to Camp Shields, Okinawa, Japan where it was involved in many projects, including the renovation of a new galley facility, the construction of a 207 square meter concrete storage building at White Beach Naval Facility, installation of concrete drainage ditches, and camp improvement projects on Camp Shields.

In September 2012, NMCB 133 deployed to Afghanistan to become the last active duty battalion to deploy to the country. During the course of this deployment, the battalion twice broke the record for the longest convoy in the Naval Construction Force's history.

Personnel from NMCB 133 plus a bulldozer arrived in Liberia from Djibouti and on 27 September 2014 began site preparation near the Monrovia Airport for construction of a dozen or more hospitals to be built by the U.S. military's Operation United Assistance in response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa.

Unit awards

NMCB 133 has received several unit citations and commendations. Members who participated in actions that merited the award are authorized to wear the medal or ribbon associated with the award on their uniform. Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces have different categories, i.e. Service, Campaign, Unit, and Personal. Unit Citations are distinct from the other decorations. The following unit awards are 133's:

•   Navy Unit Commendation : – Iwo Jima
•   Navy Unit Commendation : – Vietnam 1968
• Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal Unit Citation
• Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Award
•   Humanitarian Service Medal : – American Samoa Cyclone Ofa (100-man Det.) 1990
•   Joint Meritorious Unit Award : – Operation Provide Comfort 1991
•   Navy Unit Commendation : – Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina 1996
•   Humanitarian Service Medal : – USA Hurricane Georges1998
•   Presidential Unit Citation : – Iraq 2003
•   Humanitarian Service Medal : – USA Hurricane Katrina 2005
•   Navy "E" Ribbon : – U.S. Atlantic Fleet Naval Construction Force Best of Type Battle "E" a total of 13 times.

The Battalion has received the Peltier Award, given to the best active duty Seabee Battalion in the Naval Construction Force, on eleven occasions.

List of commanding officers

Commanding officer	Period	Deployed to:	Detachments
Commander Raymond P. Murphy	Sep 1943 – Sep 1945	Hawaii, Iwo Jima	A Co to 1st Bn 23rd Marines.,B Co. to 2nd Bn 23rd Marines., C Co.to 3rd Bn 23rd Marines., D Co to 4th Pioneer Bn 25th Marines(assigned to 2nd Bn 25th Marines)
Lt. Cdr. Clarence W. Palmer	Sep 45 – Oct 1945	Iwo Jima
Lt. George R. Imboden	Oct 45 – Nov 1945	Iwo Jima	det Sasebo with 31st NCB
Lt. Thomas P. Cooke	Nov 45 – Dec 1945	Iwo Jima
Cdr. Edward H. Marsh, II	Aug 66 – Jul 1968	1967 Vietnam
Cdr. Frank H. Lewis, Jr.	Jul 68 – Nov 1969	1968 Vietnam
" – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -"	" – - – - – - – - – - -"	1969 Vietnam
Cdr. J. J. Gawarkiewiez, III	Nov 69 – Mar 1971	1970 Guam	Vietnam,Azores, Aleutians
Cdr. William C. Conner	Mar 71 – Aug1973	1973 Spain	Diego Garcia, Germany, Italy, Crete, Sicily, Greece, Sardinia, Kusaie Island(Seabee Team 13310)
Cdr. Leland R. Dobler	Aug 73 – Apr1974	1974 Okinawa	Subic Bay, Sasebo,Iwakuni,Taiwan,Misawa,Palau(Seabee Team 13311)
Lt. Cdr. Bruce L. McCall	Apr 74 – Jun1974	1974 Okinawa	" – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - "
Cdr. Richard A. Lowery	Jun 74 – Jul1976	1975 Puerto Rico	Gitmo, Bermuda, St. Thomas U.S.Virgin Islands,Vieques Island, Yap Island(Seabee Team 13312)
" – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -"	" – - – - – - – - – - – "	1976 Diego Garcia
Cdr. Gene Davis	Jul 76 – Jul 1978	1977 Spain	Sicily, Greece, Crete
Cdr. George D. Fraunces	Jul 78 – Oct 1979	1978 Puerto Rico	Gitmo, Eleuthera,Antiqua, Keflavik, Diego Garcia, Vieques Island, Yap Island (Seabee Team 13313)
" – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - "	" – - – - – - – - – - -"	1979 Diego Garcia
Capt. Herbert H. Lewis, Jr.	Oct 79 – Jul 1981	1982 Guam	Diego Garcia, Midway, Palau, Yokosuka Japan
Capt. Dorwin C. Black	Jul 81 – Jun 1983	1982 Spain	Sigonella,Nea Makri Greece,Souda bay Crete, Holy Loch Scotland
Capt. A. A. Kannegiesser	Jun 83 – Aug 1985	1983 Puerto Rico	Gitmo, Vieques Island, Bermuda, Andros Island, Yap
Capt. Richard E. Brown	Aug 85 – Jun 1987	1986 Puerto Rico	Gitmo, Andros Island, Bahamas, Vieques Island, Panama Canal Zone
Cdr. Bruce St. Peter	Jun 87 – Aug 1989	1987 Okinawa	Adak, Yokusuka, Iwakuni, Yap Island
" – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - "	"- – - – - – - – - – - -"	1989 Spain	Bermuda,Edzell and Holy Loch Scotland, Maryland,USA.,Cartagana Spain
Cdr. Donald B. Hutchins	Aug 89 – Sep 1991	1990 Guam	Midway, Palau, Philippines, Diego Garcia, Tinian, American Samoa
Cdr. Douglas F. Elznic	Sep 91 – Jun 1993	1991 Spain	Sigonella, Souada Bay Crete, Edzell & Holy Loch Scotland, Maryland USA, Moron Spain,Ghana, Senegal
" – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -"	"- – - – - – - – - – - -"	1991 Iraq/Turkey
Cdr. Richard J. McAfee	Jun 93 – Apr 1995	1994 Guam	Diego Garcia, Chinhar Korea, Ban Chan Khrem Thailand, El Salvador, San Diego CA, Palau-Cat team
Cdr. Gary A. Engle	Apr 95 – Jun 1997	1995 Spain	Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina,Africa, Crete, Sicily, Italy, Great Britain, Maryland USA
Cdr. Paul Bosco	Jun 97 – Jun 1999	1997 Guam	San Diego CA,Lemoore CA, Fallon NV, Bangor WA, Kenya, Palau-CAT team, Palau & Kosrae-Tiger team
"- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – "	"- – - – - – - – - – - -"	1998 Spain	Sicily, Crete, St. Mawgan England, Maryland USA, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Cdr. Katherine L. Gregory	Jun 99 – Jul 2001	2000 Spain	Sicily, Crete, London, Maryland USA, Moldova, Tunisia
Cdr. Douglas G. Morton	Jul '01 – Jun 2003	2001 Guam	Diego Garcia, Bahrain,Carat, Hawaii, Fallon NV, (Lemoore, El Centro, Camp Pendleton, San Diego CA),Bangor WA, Palau-Cat team
"- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -"	"- - - - - - - - - - -"	2001 Afghanistan	Gitmo
"- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -"	"- - - - - - - - - - - "	2003 SWA Iraq	Kuwait, Zubaydiyah,Dominican Republic, Andros Island, Gitmo
Cdr. Jeffery T. Borowy	Jun '03 – May 2005	2003 SWA Iraq	Kuwait
Cdr. Allan M. Stratman	May '05 – May 2007	2005 Iraq	Guam, Whidby Island
Cdr. Paul J. Odenthal	May '07 – Jun 2009	2008 Okinawa	Guam,Singapore, Chinhae, Yokosuka, Sasebo, Philippines, San Clemente Island,Palau-Cat team
Cdr. Chris M. Kurgan	Jun '09 – May 2011	2010 Afghanistan	Kandahar, Tarnak, Beland, Dand, Walakan, Jelawur, FOBs Shindand, Wilson, Walton & Wolverine
Cdr. Nick D. Yamodis	May '11 – Jun 2013	2011 Okinawa
" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -"	" - - - - - - - - - - -"	2012 Afghanistan	Liberia,Niger,Djibouti
Cdr. Jeffrey S. Powell	Jun '13 – Jun 2015	2014 Spain	Romania, Bahrain, Djibouti, Niger, Chad, Guam, Palau, Micronesia, Kwajalein (Fig. 7)
Cdr. Miguel Dieguez	Jun '15 – Present	2015 Spain	Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Cameroon, Niger, Kwajalein, Guam

Notes

• Prior to the 133rd being assigned as the 23rd's Shore Party the 71st NCB had been tasked as the Shore Party for the 3rd Marine Division on Bouganville in 1943.
• On Peleliu the 17th Special NCB (segregated) volunteered as shore party for the 7th Marines/ 1st Marine Division in 1944.
• 41st Construction Regiment: 31st, 62nd, 95th, & 133rd NCBs

See also

Fig. 9: Seabee Shore Party of the 23rd Marines unload LST 247 on yellow beach

• Admiral Ben Moreell
• Naval Construction Battalion aka Seabee
• Seabees in World War II
• Joseph J. McCarthy
• USS Logan ** USS Newberry ** USS Mifflin ** USS Lowndes
• 4th Marine Division
• 4th Landing Support Battalion (aka the 4th Pioneers) is now Combat Logistics Battalion 23
• V Amphibious Corps
• 20th Marine Regiment (United States)
• 21st Marine Regiment (United States)
• 23rd Marine Regiment (United States) *** 1st Battalion 23rd Marines *** 2nd Battalion 23rd Marines *** 3rd Battalion 23rd Marines *** 2nd Battalion 24th Marines
• 25th Marine Regiment (United States)
• Operation Provide Comfort

References

Fig. 10: Seabee D8 & Shore Party. Note other 4 bulldozers and the Flag (center) indicating beach color. D8's blade was raised to protect the radiator.

Fig. 11: LSMs 145 and 206 D day with 133's Shore Party Equipment for C Co. & A Co.

External links

• NMCB 133 Facebook Page
• Support Our Survivors of Iwo Jima 133 NCB Facebook Page
• "The Battle of Iwo Jima!-WWII Original US Government Military Documentary 1945" this link will offer other Iwo Jima links once opened [25] Note: LSM 206 heading in to beach, Note: Red Patch on back of helmet
• NMCB 133 Historical Information from the Seabees Archives Port Hueneme, CA 93043
• 31st NCB Historical Information from the Seabee Archives, Port Hueneme, CA 93043
• Seabee Unit Histories [26]
• Seabee Museum Archive's website
• 4th Marine Division's website
• 4th Marine Division Operations Report, Iwo Jima, 19 February – 16 March 1945. open pdf -Part_6 and pdf -Part_7 for Appendix 1 Annex Dog ( Shore Party LOG D-day – D-plus 18) [27]
• Annex FOX 4th Marine Division Operations Report for the 23rd RCT on Iwo Jima|[28]
• Annex HOW 4th Marine Division Operations Report for the 25th RCT on Iwo Jima|[29]
• Huie, William Bradford "Fom Omaha to Okinawa- The Story of the Seabees" 1945 Chapter II, Iwo Jima, p. 27–88 [30]
• "Col. Shelton Scales and 133rd NCB": Fighting Seabees of Iwo Jima on "War Stories" YouTube with Lt. Col. Oliver North[31]**(be aware! it CONTAINS DISCREPANCIES WITH THIS ARTICLE that have dogged the Battalion's history)
• 5th Marine Division webpage; The Spearhead
• 5th Marine Division Operations Report, Iwo Jima August 1945,prepared by the Historical Division USMC Headquarters, Quantico, VA, Appendix C, 5th Shore Party Regiment 31st NCB,[32]
• 31st NCB 31st Spearhead Battalion
• 133 NCB Rainmakers Log