Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 302

Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit THREE ZERO TWO (CBMU-302) of the U.S. Navy was commissioned on March 31, 1967. Along with CBMU-302 a sister unit, unit CBMU-301,^[1] was also commissioned. These units were the first of their kind since Korean War. The official commissioning ceremony of CBMU-301 and CBMU-302 was held at the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center, Port Hueneme, CA on April 7, 1967. LT Mel Harper was the first Commanding Officer.

History

On August 16, 1967, CBMU-302's Advance Party of fifty men were deployed to Cam Ranh Bay, Republic of Vietnam (RVN).

On Sept. 15, 1967, the Main Body of the Battalion^[2] flew to the U.S. Naval Support Facility, Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. Two Details were soon deployed to Nha Trang and Qui Nhơn to support Navy units there. During this time, the Battalion was waiting for the arrival of a ship that contained the unit's building supplies, vehicles, and construction equipment. The ship arrived Oct. 7, 1967 with offloading proceeding immediately.

The main mission of CBMU-302 was to perform base maintenance and public works functions at the various U.S. Navy and Vietnamese Navy sites in the lower two-thirds of the country. CBMU-302 also sent out short-term special mission Teams to perform specific tasks. These small groups were called Special Teams.

In September 1969, the battalion's mission was expanded to include the Dependent Shelter Program. This effort involved the construction of permanent structures to house Vietnamese Navy Sailors and their families at naval facilities in II, III, and IV Corps. In Sept. 1970, CBMU-301^[1] began leaving Vietnam for decommissioning (they too were engaged in the Dependent Shelter Program in I Corps). At that time, CBMU-302 moved up into I Corps to take over CBMU-301's job sites (notably at Da Nang with a further site at Tan My Island near Hue and eventually one at Chu Lai). By now, the Dependent Shelter Program became the principal mission for CBMU-302. The remote units of the Dependent Shelter Program to which those Seabees and non-construction U.S. Navy personnel were assigned were soon referred to as Naval Construction Action Teams (NAVCATs).

Given the huge expanded role of both battalions due to the Shelter program, general labor personnel were needed since there were not enough trained Seabees available. U.S. Navy Sailors from the other three Navy communities (Airmen, Seamen, Firemen) were assigned to both units. Having limited, or no construction skills, these men quickly learned their jobs of mixing mortar, laying block, placing concrete, stringing electrical lines, carpentry, etc. Many went into the construction field after their military service. Their effort was needed and appreciated, especially considering they served in a combat zone heroically and faithfully.

During the battalion's time in Vietnam, it became the first Seabee battalion to operate in the three lower divisions of the Republic of Vietnam (Corps Tactical Zones II, III, IV); became the largest Seabee battalion since WWII; as of Oct 1970, the only Seabee battalion to operate in all four Corps Tactical Zones at the same time; the only Navy Construction Battalion to wear an authorized shoulder patch (Naval Construction Action Team [NAVCAT] patch); the longest serving Seabee battalion in Vietnam (over 4.5 years). In April 1971, the battalion's headquarters relocated from Cam Ranh Bay to the large Army base at Bien Hoa.

CBMU-302 was the last Seabee battalion to leave the Vietnam war zone, folding its colors at its basecamp in Bien Hoa, RVN on January 22, 1972 then redeploying back to Port Hueneme, CA. During the unit's short stay in Port Hueneme, it was downsized and fitted out with new personnel for its new role of maintenance for a single navy base.

April 1972 CBMU-302 deployed with one officer and twenty-five enlisted men to Subic Bay Naval Base in the Republic of the Philippines. CBMU-302 performed construction and maintenance on base and served the local communities with civic action projects and educational programs.

CBMU-302 constructed Camp Jefferies to support Construction Battalion Detachments deployed to the Subic Bay and Cubi Point Naval Air Station. CBMU-302 personal maintained Camp Jeffries to allow Battalion Detachment personnel to focus on construction activities. This provided on the job training for CBMU-302 personnel who would be deploying to Detail Paradise on Diego Garcia. CBMU-302 provided facilities support to the USN Base at Yokohama and Yosuka, Japan when local workers went on strike in 1975. Local national workers went on strike for several days in Subic Bay, Pi. during 1979. CBMU-302 personnel operated critical facilities to include power plants, telephone exchanges, water and sewage treatment plants in support of US Navy fleet operations. Seabees from CBMU-302 provided support to ‘Project Newlife’ following the fall of South Vietnam by building facilities on Grande Island to house, feed, and provide necessary services to the refugees. Facilities were also constructed at the lower MAU Camp and All Hands Beach. Repairs to the upper MAU facilities were also made in the mid 80's. Camp Jeffries was closed March 1992.

The unit was transferred to Guam from Subic Bay to perform the same overall mission of facilities support. CBMU-302 was decommissioned^[2] in Guam in 1994.

Vietnam deployments

The first teams deployed were called Details or 'Dets' The following is a list of locations and which Corp Tactical zone it is located in.

Starting in 1970, President Richard M. Nixon started the Vietnamization program. This resulted in CBMU-302s participation in the Dependent Shelter Construction Program. To accomplish this large task the Navy reassigned sailors from the Fleet. These men came from ships, shore installations, air stations, etc. They were assigned to detachments called Navy Construction Action Teams or NAVCATs. With the decommissioning of CBMU-301, some of their men wanted to remain in Vietnam to finish out their assignment. Their unfinished projects were turned over to CBMU-302. The following is a list of locations and which Corp Tactical zone it was located in.

Commanding officers

• LT Melvin H. Harper, CEC; Apr 1967 - Sept 1968, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN
• LCDR Herman. W. Filbry, CEC; Sept 1968 - Aug 1969, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN
• LCDR Heywood H. Harrell, CEC; Aug 1969 - Aug 1970, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN
• CDR Henry Keppel, CEC; Aug 1970 - Aug 1971, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN
• CDR. D. Gordan Wilson, CEC; Aug 1971 – Feb 1972, Bien Hoa, RVN
• Lt. Walter Tomiak, CEC; Feb 1972 – Oct 1973 Bien Hoa, RVN.
• LT James W. MacLaughlin; CEC; Oct 1973 – 1975, Subic Bay, PI.
• LT William Davis, CEC; 1975 – 1978, Subic Bay, PI.
• LT Douglas K. Ault, CEC; 1979 – 1981, Subic Bay, PI.
• LT/LCDR Samual S. Williams, CEC; 1981 – 1983, Subic Bay, PI.
• LCDR Jon C. Wyman, CEC; 1983 - 1985; Subic Bay, PI.
• LT R. J. Clark, CEC; 1985 – 1987; Subic Bay, PI.
• LT J. Smythe. CEC; 1987-1990, Subic Bay, R.P
• LT M. R. Libonate, CEC; 1990 – 1992; Camp Covington, Guam
• LT Keith S. Hamilton, CEC; 1994 – 22 Jul 1994, Camp Covington, Guam

Unit awards

• Navy Unit commendation with 2 stars (3 Awards)
• Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with bronze star (2 Awards)
• Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Gallantry Cross
• Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Citation Civic Action Medal
• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon (11 Campaigns)
• Vietnamese Service Ribbon with 2 silver stars (11 Campaigns)
• Joint Meritorious Unit Award
• Navy Expeditionary Medal
• National Defense Service Medal with bronze star (2 Awards)
• Humanitarian Service Medal with bronze star (2 Awards)
• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with silver star & 1 bronze star (7 Awards)
• Overseas Service Medal with 2 silver stars and 4 bronze stars (15 Awards)
• Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation

See also

• Seabees

Notes

1. 1 2 Moore, Art. "CBMU 301 History". CBMU 301. Duquesne University Department of Journalism and Multimedia Arts. Retrieved 10 March 2014. 
2. 1 2 "Naval Construction Maintenance Unit 302 Historical Information" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. United States Navy. Retrieved 10 March 2014. 

References

• Navy Seabees in Vietnam
• Seabee short History

Further reading

• Southeast Asia: Building the Bases the History of Construction in Southeast Asia by Richard Tregaskis, ISBN 9781456317799, 2010 copyright by Binhhamus Press, 2010 Edition. CBMU-302 material can be found on pages 172, 358, 436.

External links

• Military.com unit page
• VetFriends.com unit page
• Seabee museum store
• allseabees.com reunion page
• Deployed team pictures
• Team pictures
• CBMU-303, after CBMU-302.