NMCB 3
Encyclopedia
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Three is a United States Navy
Seabee
battalion based in Port Hueneme, California
.
, the 3rd NCB was called upon to perform its job, not as a unit, but as a group of autonomous detachments that participated in a number of combat operations during the Marshall Islands
campaign.
After reuniting in 1944, the battalion left Noumea
on 22 May to return to Camp Parks, California where on 12 July it was ordered disbanded and then subsequently decommissioned on 16 August 1944.
, Alaska
and in October 1951, they arrived in the Philippine Islands where they spent the next 5 1/2 years building Naval Air Station, Cubi Point.
The following four years were spent on Okinawa, Japan constructing Marine Corps Air Facility Futenma. The Battalion’s next major construction job was an airstrip at Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, after which MCB 3 served on Okinawa and Guam.
, Vietnam constructing more than 500 facilities for the Marine Corps. MCB 3’s second and third tours in Vietnam took them to Chu Lai and Gia Le. In 1966 MCB3 received their First Battle "E", and While in Chu Lai, the Battalion was named Pacific Fleet "Best of Type" on September 11, 1966 by Rear Admiral W. M. Heaman, Commander Construction Battalions. During this period, a third revision occurred to the unit's name: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 (NMCB 3).
In the summer of 1967, MCB 3 began construction of Camp Eagle
in Vietnam in support of the 1st Air Cavalry. The camp was completed just in time to assist in the defense against the 1968 Tet Offensive and the Battle of Hue City. MCB 3 then redeployed to Gia Le Combat Base, Phu Bai. While deployed with the Marines in Phu Bai, NMCB 3 assisted their adjacent units with both general engineering support as well as mortar support. This effort earned the “Better than Best” a Presidential Unit Citation from President Richard Nixon
upon their return to the States.
to start construction of a new Seabee camp. The Battalion lived up to its "Better Than Best" motto by constructing enough permanent facilities to have the dedication of Camp Covington on May 4, 1972.
In February 1975 the Battalion deployed to Diego Garcia
, a British territory in the Indian Ocean. NMCB 3 contributed to the massive construction effort undertaken by the Naval Construction Force.
NMCB 3 was named "Best of Type" in 1976 and winner of the Peltier Award for providing emergency repairs for all military commands while continuing its normal construction projects throughout the Marinas Islands in the aftermath of Super-Typhoon Pamela.
From April 1977 to August 1982, the Battalion divided into two "teams" (Blue and Gold) which rotated between Port Hueneme and Camp Shields, Okinawa. The Battalion was named "Best of Type" and awarded the Battle "E" in 1978, 1980 and 1981.
Upon returning to homeport, which completed their third deployment of the "Split Concept" in January 1980, NMCB 3's Blue Team was quickly deployed to nearby NAWC Point Mugu, where they played a major role in the flood disaster recovery efforts.
The following homeport of 1981, NMCB 3's Iwakuni Det Blue 4 were assigned to "Project Rimstone" as the night crew, (subsidizing the 31st NCR), located in Santa Barbara, the Det commuted nightly, 140 miles (225.3 km) from CBC Pt Hueneme, to President Ronald Reagan's ranch. Completing the project on time, the Seabees of this detail received Presidential letters of Commendation, Presented by J.M. Dougherty Commanding Officer of NMCB 3, on 22 October 1982.
In March 1983 the reunited Battalion deployed for the first time to Camp Mitchell, Rota, Spain where it was again named "Best of Type" in the Pacific Fleet.
From 1983-1989 the Battalion made routine deployments to the European and Pacific Theaters and was named "Best of Type" in the Pacific Fleet
for FY 1987.
In October 1989, while completing a homeport field exercise, the Battalion deployed its Air Detachment from Fort Hunter Liggett
, California, to the San Francisco Bay area to provide earthquake recovery assistance. The Air Detachment personnel repaired severely damaged utilities at Naval Air Station Alameda
and Naval Station Treasure Island.
In March 1991, NMCB 3 deployed to Guam and provided Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with Typhoon Owen disaster recovery assistance in Yap. NMCB 3 also cleared runways and repaired utilities at Naval Air Station Cubi Point in support of Operation "Fiery Vigil" following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
NMCB 3 returned to Guam in July 1993, sending a Civil Action Team to Palau and a short-term detail to Saipan to help make preparations for the 50th Anniversary of World War II. Again, the disaster recovery specialists repaired facilities, utilities and schools following the worst earthquake to shake Guam in more than a century, measuring 8.2 on the Richter Scale.
In September 1994, NMCB 3 embarked upon a 14-country, four-continent deployment. Seabees supported the United Nations
protection force operation "Provide Promise" by maintaining the U.S. Hospital at Zagreb
, Croatia
as well as installing surveillance equipment in Baghdad, Iraq.
In November 1995, NMCB 3 deployed details to stateside U.S. military installations for the first time and ended a chapter in Seabee history of Seabee occupation of Diego Garcia.
In January 1997, the Battalion’s main body returned to Camp Mitchell, Rota, Spain. NMCB 3 Bees broke new ground in two Baltic locations new to Seabees, Estonia and Uzbekistan, where they provided construction support during "Operation Baltic Castle" and a U.S. Humanitarian Aid Program (HAP) "Operation Provide Hope."
On April 23, 1998, NMCB 3 participated in the exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT ’98). This was a first-time participation for Seabees in a combined fleet and multi-national exercise of this type.
In Rayong, Thailand, NMCB 3 completed the construction of a second story addition to the Camillian Social Center. The center provides a place for Aids victims during their last days.
The Battalion had the opportunity to show exactly how mobile they are when they received a call to action in 1998. A modified Air Detachment quickly deployed to Nairobi, Kenya, in support of "Operation Resolute Response." The detachment assisted in disaster relief efforts, structural repair and the recovery of evidence and classified material following the U.S. embassy bombing.
On May 15, 1999, NMCB 3 headed to Rota, Spain where shortly after arriving on station, the Battalion was called into action in support of Joint Task Force, "Shining Hope." NMCB 3 repaired roads in Northern Albania that were weakened by the steady flow of more than 800,000 Albanian refugees from Kosovo and years of neglect.
Shortly after Detachment Albania left, the mission changed and the Battalion sent an advanced party of 43 personnel into Kosovo. Within two weeks, the battalion integrated Detail Albanian's 150 personnel with an additional 184 Seabees from Camp Mitchell. The mission was to build 64 Davidson style Southeast Asia Huts (SEAhuts) in 90 days for an Army base camp at Camp Monteith, Gnjilane, Kosovo. Maintaining 24-hour operations for nearly two months, THREE stayed on schedule and completed the initial tasking in 89 days. By the time the Battalion departed for homeport in December 1999, they had built more than 80 SEAhuts and constructed more than 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) of hardstand.
In December 1999, the Battalion returned home after a successful deployment that once again earned them the title "Best of Type" in the Pacific Fleet and earning the right to wear the coveted Battle "E". They were also awarded the Navy Unit Commendation Medal for their work during the 1999 Pacific Deployment.
In July 2000 the Battalion packed up and headed to Guam for their 2000 Pacific Deployment. The Battalion immediately sent out two Detachments for Training.
The first DFT went to Seychelles to dismantle three ray domes. The second went to Indonesia to build a road and repair a schoolhouse. Both of the detachments returned to main body without injury or incident on schedule, having successfully completed the tasking amongst high praise.
With Camp Mitchell in Force Protection Condition Delta for the first time since the Gulf War, THREE deployed an Air Detachment in December 2001 to support Operation Enduring Freedom by constructing 130 Al Qaeda detention cells at Camp X-ray. The Det also constructed 65 SEAhuts for JTF 160 security forces and cleared enough land to construct a 160-bed Fleet Hospital.
In December 2002, NMCB 3 deployed to Camp Shields in Okinawa, Japan, as well as 14 other sites across the pacific and Southwest Asia. Despite changes in deployment schedules and preparations for "Operation Enduring Freedom" and later with "Operation Iraqi Freedom," NMCB 3 kept pace and met all of their operational goals.
After returning from the Okinawa deployment NMCB 3 was again tasked with providing support for both “Operation Enduring Freedom” and “Operation Iraqi Freedom II”. In April 2004, the battalion started their Pacific deployment. THREE had the lead role in Task Force Sierra, a construction task force in support of several joint special operations commands. Detachments in support of OEF were in both the CENTCOM AO and the PACOM AO. In all, NMCB 3 had personnel on the ground at 36 different locations around the world, including two main body sites (Guam and Iraq) and eight other primary detail/detachment sites.
In July 2005, THREE deployed to Iraq with a total of nine Iraq detachments, as well as detachments in Horn of Africa; Souda Bay, Greece; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Andros Island, Bahamas; Rota, Spain; Kingdom of Bahrain; Seychelles Islands. NMCB 3 was the first and only Seabee battalion to ever be tasked to operate six Convoy Security Teams (CST) continuously, while providing over 11,000 man days of construction support to the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). NMCB 3’S CSTs safely executed more than 130 successful convoy missions, escorting more than 2,200 vehicles more than 21500 miles (34,600.8 km) through the dangerous streets of Iraq, resulting in 17 combat action ribbon awards.
In November 2005, NMCB THREE turned over with NMCB 133
in Fallujah, Iraq and redeployed to Kuwait in order to setup main body operations in Kuwait to support of Combined Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC) and Area Support Group, Kuwait. NMCB 3 established the new Main Body deployment site from scratch while integrating over 145 personnel from NMCB 21 and 139 personnel from the Army’s 63rd Construction Support Element. NMCB 3 worked with the Army to develop a master plan for what would become a Seabee main body deployment site for almost five years. Prior to returning home in February 2006, NMCB 3 completed over 20,000 man days of tasking and 58 tasked projects in direct support of the CFLCC mission.
In December 2006, NMCB 3 deployed to the Far East. With the main body group located at Camp Shields, Okinawa, the battalion also sent out detachments to Atsugi, Iwakuni, Sasebo, Fuji and Yokosuka, Japan, Camp Pendleton and San Clemente Island, California, as well as Chinhae, Korea and Diego Garcia. Additionally, the battalion stood up a short-fused detail in Afghanistan to support Special Operations Forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. During this deployment, THREE bolstered the Department of Defense’s focus on civil military operations by supporting five detachments for training: three in the Republic of the Philippines, one in Korea, and one in Thailand.
In April 2008, NMCB 3 deployed to Iraq
and Afghanistan
, providing support to First Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) in Iraq and assuming control of Task Force Sierra for a second time. The Battalion supported I MEF as they pressed the remnants of Al Qaida and prepared the fledgling Iraq Security Forces to take control of that country’s defenses. Task Force Sierra again supported the tip of Security Forces to take control of that country’s defenses. Task Force Sierra again supported the tip of America’s spear as they aimed to kill or capture Al Qaida and Taliban insurgent leaders. In total, NMCB 3 provided over 72,000 mandays of construction in support of OIF and OEF in this deployment.
After an abbreviated homeport, the Battalion became the first Main Body to deploy to Naval Station Rota, Spain since 2005. After relieving NMCB 11 in August they reopened and improved Camp Mitchell and Naval Station Rota infrastructure. Detachments were also sent to Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia to provide humanitarian construction in these emerging Eastern European countries. More than 300 Seabees served throughout Africa, drilling waterwells, renovating schools, training host national militaries and improving the quality of life in Liberia, Cameroon, Djibouti, Kenya, Comoros and Uganda.
Most recently, NMCB THREE completed a deployment to Afghanistan from Nov 2010 to June 2011 where they supported US and Coalition forces spread across more than 30 different locations throughout Afghanistan. Key efforts included the completion of 110 tactical infrastructure projects, ranging from combat outpost builds to route construction, in support of I and II MEF, Special Operations Forces, and Task Force Helmand, a British Led Task Force. THREE’s phenomenal efforts resulted in greatly improved counterinsurgency operations and a more stabilized Afghanistan government.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Seabee
Seabee
Seabees are members of the United States Navy construction battalions. The word Seabee is a proper noun that comes from the initials of Construction Battalion, of the United States Navy...
battalion based in Port Hueneme, California
Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme
Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme is the West Coast homeport of the Navy’s Seabees . Port Hueneme , supports the training and mobilization requirements for more than 2,600 active-duty personnel. The CBC also operates Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme...
.
3rd NCB in World War II
Beginning in the summer of 1942, The U.S. Navy's Third Naval Construction Battalion played an important part in the building of bases in the Southern Pacific. One of the first Seabee units commissioned during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the 3rd NCB was called upon to perform its job, not as a unit, but as a group of autonomous detachments that participated in a number of combat operations during the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
campaign.
After reuniting in 1944, the battalion left Noumea
Nouméa
Nouméa is the capital city of the French territory of New Caledonia. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and is home to the majority of the island's European, Polynesian , Indonesian, and Vietnamese populations, as well as many Melanesians,...
on 22 May to return to Camp Parks, California where on 12 July it was ordered disbanded and then subsequently decommissioned on 16 August 1944.
Korean Era 1950s
The Battalion was re-activated (MCB 3) on July 15, 1950 at Construction Battalion Center, Port Hueneme, California. Following its recommissioning on November 5, 1950, MCB 3 worked briefly at AmchitkaAmchitka
Amchitka is a volcanic, tectonically unstable island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. It is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The island is about long, and from wide...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and in October 1951, they arrived in the Philippine Islands where they spent the next 5 1/2 years building Naval Air Station, Cubi Point.
The following four years were spent on Okinawa, Japan constructing Marine Corps Air Facility Futenma. The Battalion’s next major construction job was an airstrip at Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, after which MCB 3 served on Okinawa and Guam.
Vietnam War (MCB 3)
In May 1965 MCB 3 made its first of three visits to Da NangDa Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
, Vietnam constructing more than 500 facilities for the Marine Corps. MCB 3’s second and third tours in Vietnam took them to Chu Lai and Gia Le. In 1966 MCB3 received their First Battle "E", and While in Chu Lai, the Battalion was named Pacific Fleet "Best of Type" on September 11, 1966 by Rear Admiral W. M. Heaman, Commander Construction Battalions. During this period, a third revision occurred to the unit's name: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 (NMCB 3).
In the summer of 1967, MCB 3 began construction of Camp Eagle
Camp Eagle
Camp Eagle is a US military base in Bosnia, near Tuzla.Notably the George W. Bush Presidency is reported to have used the camp for the secret extrajudicial detention of ghost prisoners....
in Vietnam in support of the 1st Air Cavalry. The camp was completed just in time to assist in the defense against the 1968 Tet Offensive and the Battle of Hue City. MCB 3 then redeployed to Gia Le Combat Base, Phu Bai. While deployed with the Marines in Phu Bai, NMCB 3 assisted their adjacent units with both general engineering support as well as mortar support. This effort earned the “Better than Best” a Presidential Unit Citation from President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
upon their return to the States.
Cold War (NMCB 3)
In November 1971 NMCB 3 was deployed to GuamGuam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
to start construction of a new Seabee camp. The Battalion lived up to its "Better Than Best" motto by constructing enough permanent facilities to have the dedication of Camp Covington on May 4, 1972.
In February 1975 the Battalion deployed to Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
, a British territory in the Indian Ocean. NMCB 3 contributed to the massive construction effort undertaken by the Naval Construction Force.
NMCB 3 was named "Best of Type" in 1976 and winner of the Peltier Award for providing emergency repairs for all military commands while continuing its normal construction projects throughout the Marinas Islands in the aftermath of Super-Typhoon Pamela.
From April 1977 to August 1982, the Battalion divided into two "teams" (Blue and Gold) which rotated between Port Hueneme and Camp Shields, Okinawa. The Battalion was named "Best of Type" and awarded the Battle "E" in 1978, 1980 and 1981.
Upon returning to homeport, which completed their third deployment of the "Split Concept" in January 1980, NMCB 3's Blue Team was quickly deployed to nearby NAWC Point Mugu, where they played a major role in the flood disaster recovery efforts.
The following homeport of 1981, NMCB 3's Iwakuni Det Blue 4 were assigned to "Project Rimstone" as the night crew, (subsidizing the 31st NCR), located in Santa Barbara, the Det commuted nightly, 140 miles (225.3 km) from CBC Pt Hueneme, to President Ronald Reagan's ranch. Completing the project on time, the Seabees of this detail received Presidential letters of Commendation, Presented by J.M. Dougherty Commanding Officer of NMCB 3, on 22 October 1982.
In March 1983 the reunited Battalion deployed for the first time to Camp Mitchell, Rota, Spain where it was again named "Best of Type" in the Pacific Fleet.
From 1983-1989 the Battalion made routine deployments to the European and Pacific Theaters and was named "Best of Type" in the Pacific Fleet
Pacific Fleet
A number of countries currently have or previously had an Pacific Fleet in their navies.*United States Pacific Fleet*Pacific Fleet *Pacific Naval Force *British Pacific Fleet...
for FY 1987.
In October 1989, while completing a homeport field exercise, the Battalion deployed its Air Detachment from Fort Hunter Liggett
Fort Hunter Liggett
Fort Hunter Liggett , named after General Hunter Liggett in 1941, is a United States Army fort in southern Monterey County, California, about 250 miles north of Los Angeles and south of San Francisco...
, California, to the San Francisco Bay area to provide earthquake recovery assistance. The Air Detachment personnel repaired severely damaged utilities at Naval Air Station Alameda
Naval Air Station Alameda
Naval Air Station Alameda was a United States Navy Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, on San Francisco Bay.NAS Alameda had two runways: 07-25 and 13-31...
and Naval Station Treasure Island.
The 1990s
In January 1990, NMCB 3 returned to Rota. The Air Detachment was dispatched for disaster recovery operations in North Africa where they repaired flood-damaged rail lines, significantly aiding in Tunisia’s economic recovery.In March 1991, NMCB 3 deployed to Guam and provided Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with Typhoon Owen disaster recovery assistance in Yap. NMCB 3 also cleared runways and repaired utilities at Naval Air Station Cubi Point in support of Operation "Fiery Vigil" following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
NMCB 3 returned to Guam in July 1993, sending a Civil Action Team to Palau and a short-term detail to Saipan to help make preparations for the 50th Anniversary of World War II. Again, the disaster recovery specialists repaired facilities, utilities and schools following the worst earthquake to shake Guam in more than a century, measuring 8.2 on the Richter Scale.
In September 1994, NMCB 3 embarked upon a 14-country, four-continent deployment. Seabees supported the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
protection force operation "Provide Promise" by maintaining the U.S. Hospital at Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
as well as installing surveillance equipment in Baghdad, Iraq.
In November 1995, NMCB 3 deployed details to stateside U.S. military installations for the first time and ended a chapter in Seabee history of Seabee occupation of Diego Garcia.
In January 1997, the Battalion’s main body returned to Camp Mitchell, Rota, Spain. NMCB 3 Bees broke new ground in two Baltic locations new to Seabees, Estonia and Uzbekistan, where they provided construction support during "Operation Baltic Castle" and a U.S. Humanitarian Aid Program (HAP) "Operation Provide Hope."
On April 23, 1998, NMCB 3 participated in the exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT ’98). This was a first-time participation for Seabees in a combined fleet and multi-national exercise of this type.
In Rayong, Thailand, NMCB 3 completed the construction of a second story addition to the Camillian Social Center. The center provides a place for Aids victims during their last days.
The Battalion had the opportunity to show exactly how mobile they are when they received a call to action in 1998. A modified Air Detachment quickly deployed to Nairobi, Kenya, in support of "Operation Resolute Response." The detachment assisted in disaster relief efforts, structural repair and the recovery of evidence and classified material following the U.S. embassy bombing.
On May 15, 1999, NMCB 3 headed to Rota, Spain where shortly after arriving on station, the Battalion was called into action in support of Joint Task Force, "Shining Hope." NMCB 3 repaired roads in Northern Albania that were weakened by the steady flow of more than 800,000 Albanian refugees from Kosovo and years of neglect.
Shortly after Detachment Albania left, the mission changed and the Battalion sent an advanced party of 43 personnel into Kosovo. Within two weeks, the battalion integrated Detail Albanian's 150 personnel with an additional 184 Seabees from Camp Mitchell. The mission was to build 64 Davidson style Southeast Asia Huts (SEAhuts) in 90 days for an Army base camp at Camp Monteith, Gnjilane, Kosovo. Maintaining 24-hour operations for nearly two months, THREE stayed on schedule and completed the initial tasking in 89 days. By the time the Battalion departed for homeport in December 1999, they had built more than 80 SEAhuts and constructed more than 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) of hardstand.
In December 1999, the Battalion returned home after a successful deployment that once again earned them the title "Best of Type" in the Pacific Fleet and earning the right to wear the coveted Battle "E". They were also awarded the Navy Unit Commendation Medal for their work during the 1999 Pacific Deployment.
In July 2000 the Battalion packed up and headed to Guam for their 2000 Pacific Deployment. The Battalion immediately sent out two Detachments for Training.
The first DFT went to Seychelles to dismantle three ray domes. The second went to Indonesia to build a road and repair a schoolhouse. Both of the detachments returned to main body without injury or incident on schedule, having successfully completed the tasking amongst high praise.
Global War on Terror
Shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001, NMCB 3 deployed to sites across three continents, including the main body in Rota, Spain; details in Thurmont, MD; Tidewater, VA; Naples; Sigonella; Souda Bay; and DFTs to the Republic of Georgia; Stuttgart, Germany; and Gabon, Africa.With Camp Mitchell in Force Protection Condition Delta for the first time since the Gulf War, THREE deployed an Air Detachment in December 2001 to support Operation Enduring Freedom by constructing 130 Al Qaeda detention cells at Camp X-ray. The Det also constructed 65 SEAhuts for JTF 160 security forces and cleared enough land to construct a 160-bed Fleet Hospital.
In December 2002, NMCB 3 deployed to Camp Shields in Okinawa, Japan, as well as 14 other sites across the pacific and Southwest Asia. Despite changes in deployment schedules and preparations for "Operation Enduring Freedom" and later with "Operation Iraqi Freedom," NMCB 3 kept pace and met all of their operational goals.
After returning from the Okinawa deployment NMCB 3 was again tasked with providing support for both “Operation Enduring Freedom” and “Operation Iraqi Freedom II”. In April 2004, the battalion started their Pacific deployment. THREE had the lead role in Task Force Sierra, a construction task force in support of several joint special operations commands. Detachments in support of OEF were in both the CENTCOM AO and the PACOM AO. In all, NMCB 3 had personnel on the ground at 36 different locations around the world, including two main body sites (Guam and Iraq) and eight other primary detail/detachment sites.
In July 2005, THREE deployed to Iraq with a total of nine Iraq detachments, as well as detachments in Horn of Africa; Souda Bay, Greece; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Andros Island, Bahamas; Rota, Spain; Kingdom of Bahrain; Seychelles Islands. NMCB 3 was the first and only Seabee battalion to ever be tasked to operate six Convoy Security Teams (CST) continuously, while providing over 11,000 man days of construction support to the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). NMCB 3’S CSTs safely executed more than 130 successful convoy missions, escorting more than 2,200 vehicles more than 21500 miles (34,600.8 km) through the dangerous streets of Iraq, resulting in 17 combat action ribbon awards.
In November 2005, NMCB THREE turned over with NMCB 133
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 is a United States Navy Construction battalion, otherwise known as a Seabee Battalion, based out of Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, Mississippi.-Early History:...
in Fallujah, Iraq and redeployed to Kuwait in order to setup main body operations in Kuwait to support of Combined Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC) and Area Support Group, Kuwait. NMCB 3 established the new Main Body deployment site from scratch while integrating over 145 personnel from NMCB 21 and 139 personnel from the Army’s 63rd Construction Support Element. NMCB 3 worked with the Army to develop a master plan for what would become a Seabee main body deployment site for almost five years. Prior to returning home in February 2006, NMCB 3 completed over 20,000 man days of tasking and 58 tasked projects in direct support of the CFLCC mission.
In December 2006, NMCB 3 deployed to the Far East. With the main body group located at Camp Shields, Okinawa, the battalion also sent out detachments to Atsugi, Iwakuni, Sasebo, Fuji and Yokosuka, Japan, Camp Pendleton and San Clemente Island, California, as well as Chinhae, Korea and Diego Garcia. Additionally, the battalion stood up a short-fused detail in Afghanistan to support Special Operations Forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. During this deployment, THREE bolstered the Department of Defense’s focus on civil military operations by supporting five detachments for training: three in the Republic of the Philippines, one in Korea, and one in Thailand.
In April 2008, NMCB 3 deployed to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, providing support to First Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) in Iraq and assuming control of Task Force Sierra for a second time. The Battalion supported I MEF as they pressed the remnants of Al Qaida and prepared the fledgling Iraq Security Forces to take control of that country’s defenses. Task Force Sierra again supported the tip of Security Forces to take control of that country’s defenses. Task Force Sierra again supported the tip of America’s spear as they aimed to kill or capture Al Qaida and Taliban insurgent leaders. In total, NMCB 3 provided over 72,000 mandays of construction in support of OIF and OEF in this deployment.
After an abbreviated homeport, the Battalion became the first Main Body to deploy to Naval Station Rota, Spain since 2005. After relieving NMCB 11 in August they reopened and improved Camp Mitchell and Naval Station Rota infrastructure. Detachments were also sent to Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia to provide humanitarian construction in these emerging Eastern European countries. More than 300 Seabees served throughout Africa, drilling waterwells, renovating schools, training host national militaries and improving the quality of life in Liberia, Cameroon, Djibouti, Kenya, Comoros and Uganda.
Most recently, NMCB THREE completed a deployment to Afghanistan from Nov 2010 to June 2011 where they supported US and Coalition forces spread across more than 30 different locations throughout Afghanistan. Key efforts included the completion of 110 tactical infrastructure projects, ranging from combat outpost builds to route construction, in support of I and II MEF, Special Operations Forces, and Task Force Helmand, a British Led Task Force. THREE’s phenomenal efforts resulted in greatly improved counterinsurgency operations and a more stabilized Afghanistan government.
Current operations
NMCB 3 is currently back in Port Hueneme CA. and is preparing for a spring deployment to Europe and Africa.See also
- SeabeeSeabeeSeabees are members of the United States Navy construction battalions. The word Seabee is a proper noun that comes from the initials of Construction Battalion, of the United States Navy...
- Amphibious Construction Battalion OneAmphibious Construction Battalion OneAmphibious Construction Battalion One is an amphibious construction battalion in the United States Navy based in Coronado, California. Amphibious Construction Battalion Two is its sister unit based in Little Creek, Virginia.-Mission :...
(ACB-1) - Amphibious Construction Battalion Two (ACB-2) – Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek#Major shore commands (at "Naval Construction Force")
External links
- Naval Construction Force (NCF) (at Seabee.navy.mil)
- United States Navy (USN)