2011 Seabee Days kicks off in Port Hueneme

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Carson | Seabee divers from Underwater Construction Team 2 splash some children who were enjoying the Seabee Dive Tank during Seabee Days, here on the Port Hueneme ceremonial grinder July 23. This was the 24th Seabee Days held in Port Hueneme since 1986 and is a two day celebration honoring the men and women of the Navy’s elite construction force. Seabees are an expeditionary element of U.S. Naval forces providing construction, engineering and security services in support of national strategy, naval power projection, humanitarian assistance and contingency operations.  

NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY, CA, UNITED STATES

07.23.2011

Courtesy Story

Naval Base Ventura County

NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – The 2011 Naval Base Ventura County Seabee Days kicked off Saturday, July 23 with a parade starring Seabees stationed here in Port Hueneme.

The first Seabee Days was held in 1986 and is a two-day celebration honoring the men and women of the Navy’s elite construction force. This year marked the 24th Seabee Days celebration.

During Seabee Days a portion of base was open to the public so that everyone could enjoy the parade and carnival.

“Thank you all for coming out and supporting the Seabees,” said Rear Adm. Christopher Mossey, the chief of Civil Engineers and the guest of honor for the ceremony. “Beyond a doubt Port Hueneme is a Seabee town.”

The event started with a close order drill performance by the ceremonial drill team from Amphibious Construction Battalion 1, which is home ported in San Diego.

The parade consisted of the Seabee Commands; Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, NMCB 5, NMCB 40, Naval Construction Training Center and the 31st Seabee Readiness Group.

One of the features of the parade was when NMCB 3’s Convoy Security Element team drove six armored vehicles and fired blanks rounds off the vehicles mounted machine guns.

After the parade everyone was invited to visit the many static displays that were set up for the public to see the equipment and facilities that the Seabees use while deployed all over the world.

“If a disaster strikes anywhere in the world it is a safe bet that Seabees will be there,” said Mossey during the ceremony.

The displays included a replica of a Forward Operating Base, a security tower, bunker, a bridge and a Command Operation Center, all built by the Seabees from NMCB 40.

Seabee divers from Under Water Construction Team 2 displayed actual diving techniques while in a scuba diving demonstration tank.

Several of the larger construction vehicles that Seabees use around the world were also on display.

Entertainment consisted of a street fair, a motorcycle show, boxing exhibition, karaoke contest, live bands, a softball tournament, carnival rides and of course cotton candy.

• Date Taken: 07.23.2011
• Date Posted: 07.26.2011 11:55
• Story ID: 74337
• Location: NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY, CA, US