Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Brittney Kinsey | GULFPORT, Miss. (August 26, 2025) Retired Equipmentman Master Chief Billy G. Byrd...... read more read more
GULFPORT, Miss. - Retired Equipmentman Master Chief Billy G. Byrd celebrated his 93rd birthday with Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport area chief selects during a cake cutting ceremony at the Seabee Heritage Center, August 26.
Byrd served 20 years in the Seabees, completing two tours in Vietnam before his retirement in 1972 and is the oldest living Seabee in the Gulfport area.
“I think it’s great to celebrate the history and heritage of the Seabees, and it’s a privilege to follow in your footsteps,” said NCBC Gulfport Commanding Officer Capt. Ana Franco.
The ceremony gave chief selects stationed in the Gulfport area an opportunity to meet with and receive firsthand advice from the retired Seabee. Byrd spoke of teammates helped him succeed early in his career.
“I’m not here because of me,” he explained. “I had a lot of buddies who helped me avoid trouble, work hard and encouraged me to study, having them really made a difference.”
Following his Navy career Byrd maintained the “can do” Seabee work ethic, serving as a Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) construction inspector for 20 years, responding to Hurricane Hugo and other disasters.
Attendees took photos and sang the “Song of the Seabees” to close out the ceremony honoring the Alabama native.
“It’s important to honor veterans like Master Chief because they paved the way for all of us,” said Bob Smith, retired Seabee and Navy Seabee Foundation representative who helped arrange the event. “We have a lot of retired Seabees in the Gulf Coast area so it’s always nice to connect with them, and it was an honor to meet him today.”
Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, serves more than 10,000 service members, civilian personnel, veterans and family members. NCBC Gulfport is home to the Atlantic Fleet Seabees, the Naval Construction Training Center, the Expeditionary Combat Skills Training Center and nearly 40 tenants from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2025 13:08 |
| Story ID: | 547666 |
| Location: | GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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