Celebrating the Underwater Building Groups Anniversary > United States Navy > News Tales

The Chief of Naval Operations tasked the Naval Building Drive with “growing and sustaining the capabilities to help the underwater building necessities of the Navy” in November of 1967, and the groups have been formally commissioned as their very own models on Feb. 15, 1974, after serving as underwater building branches of naval building regiments.

 

Historic paperwork present Seabee leaders have been soliciting concepts for the title of their unit. When reviewing historic documentation concerning the unit’s institution, group members found a civil engineer corps officer jokingly wrote to the officer-in-charge of the underwater building department on the time that they wanted “a catchy acronym” for the group, much less they may be referred to as the “Seabee Ocean Ground Staff (SOFT)” or the ‘Building Drive Undersea Engineering Detachment (CONFUSED).” In the end, the underwater building branches turned the Underwater Building Groups, a becoming title that not solely captured their capabilities succinctly however stood the take a look at of time.

 

Regardless of their commissioning date, the Seabee diving group can hint their roots again to World Conflict II the place specifically skilled Seabees certified as Navy divers and took part in underwater demolition of reef obstructions, seaside clearing operations, and in-shore building needed for the event of channels, harbors, and mooring amenities for the fleet. Through the 1960’s, Seabee divers turned main contributors to the early success of the “Man-in-the-Sea” applications, together with SEALAB II and TEKTITE undersea laboratories, the place saturation diving was refined.

 

“Our underwater building groups are a completely important part of the Navy Expeditionary Fight Drive,” mentioned Rear Adm. Brad Andros, commander, Navy Expeditionary Fight Command. “Our Seabee divers present direct and tangible help to not solely the Fleet however to our allies and companions who depend on their distinctive skillsets to revive and construct maritime infrastructure for safer and affluent sea lanes and maritime commons.”

 

The UCTs have been initially composed of 12-15 Seabees with momentary extra divers and help private assigned as mission wants required. With the rising workload and elevated complexity of the missions over time, right now’s UCTs have roughly 90 personnel assigned together with eight civil engineer corps officers. Like all Seabees, along with their building function, the unit should be able to sustaining and defending itself if the state of affairs required.

 

“Our underwater building groups are all the time on the lookout for extra devoted Seabees to hitch our ranks, mentioned Grasp Chief Petty Officer Brian Strantz, the Naval Building Drive’s Drive Grasp Diver. “Serving as a Seabee diver affords distinctive coaching alternatives, specialised skillsets valued throughout the dive trade, and the chance to deploy ahead and see the quick impression and advantages of your work.”

 

Since formally commissioning the models in 1974, the groups of Seabee divers have deployed to each continent and took part in tasks and missions that embody: repairing and re-opening piers, wharfs, and ports; offering mission important waterfront amenities throughout fight operations; offering humanitarian help and catastrophe aid following pure disasters; finishing material knowledgeable exchanges with ally and companion dive forces; and repairing underwater infrastructure for the U.S. army which has saved the federal government vital funding over the previous 5 a long time and has enabled distributed maritime operations.

 

“As we speak’s underwater building groups have been constructed on the legacy of the various Seabee divers who got here earlier than us and continued to problem the established order”, mentioned Cmdr. Mike Duffy, commanding officer, UCT One. “We’re proud to hold on the custom and heritage of the early Seabee divers as we proceed to deploy prepared and succesful groups globally in help of our fleet.”

 

Lengthy recognized for his or her trademark Seabee “can do” angle, the Seabee divers proceed to steer technological advances inside the underwater building discipline. Over the previous few years, the divers have elevated their waterfront engineering experience and effectiveness by utilization of growing hydrographic survey and remotely operated car know-how, together with expedient port harm restore supplies.

 

“I’m frequently impressed with our Seabee divers who embrace new know-how and search for progressive methods to conduct their work in a extra environment friendly or secure method.” Mentioned, Lt. Cmdr. Tyler Anderson, government officer of UCT Two. “I consider it says quite a bit about the kind of persona this line of labor attracts—we’re a group of problem-solvers who embrace challenges, function in austere environments, and deal with our teammates.”

 

Whereas the instructions will acknowledge the anniversary domestically in Pt. Hueneme and Virginia Seaside on Feb. 15, the Hampton Roads Seabee Ball can be held on Mar. 2 and could have a Seabee diver theme, and a bigger celebration and reunion is deliberate for Could in coordination with the Nationwide Seabee Divers Affiliation at the US Navy Seabee Museum onboard Naval Base Ventura County the place the UCT exhibit can be re-dedicated.

 

For extra details about turning into a Seabee diver, contact a UCT Recruiter at NCG_UCT_Recruiters@us.navy.mil.

 

UCT 1 and a pair of are a part of the Naval Building Teams within the Navy Expeditionary Fight Drive, who bridge the hole from sea to shore and supply capabilities in advanced and austere environments. For extra details about NECC and our models, go to our web site: https://www.necc.usff.navy.mil/