The DU Lounge

Ptah

(33,783 posts) Mon Jun 23, 2025, 08:28 PM Monday

A story my father told me.

He was a SeaBee in the South Pacific.

They built the landing strips the Marines used to invade.

At the end of the war, they were required to push heavy equipment (bulldozers, trucks, earthmovers, etc.) off the pier.
Something about a contract with Caterpillar and other manufacturers to prevent used military equipment from flooding the market back home.

6 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

A story my father told me. (Original Post) Ptah Monday OP

Hey snowybirdie Monday #1

My brother was Codifer Monday #2

My father was in the Sea Bees too. calikid Monday #3

Mine too Doodles Monday #6

This message was self-deleted by its author Skittles Monday #4

100% believe it!! And I know other instances in WEII. Grins Monday #5

snowybirdie

(6,154 posts)

1. Hey

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Mon Jun 23, 2025, 08:33 PM

Monday

My dad too! Drafted at 35, two weeks before his birthday when he'd be ineligible for the draft. Sea Bees were mostly older than average G..I.

Codifer

(1,005 posts)

2. My brother was

Reply to snowybirdie (Reply #1)

Mon Jun 23, 2025, 08:38 PM

Monday

a 19 year old carpenters mate (2nd class) with 23rd Construction Battalion, Guam 1944.

calikid

(687 posts)

3. My father was in the Sea Bees too.

Reply to snowybirdie (Reply #1)

Mon Jun 23, 2025, 09:11 PM

Monday

But, at seventeen years old he was a bit younger than almost all of the others. Both his father and older brother went into the military, not much to do on the family farm at the time.

Doodles

(84 posts)

6. Mine too

Reply to calikid (Reply #3)

Mon Jun 23, 2025, 11:19 PM

Monday

My dad was a 17 year-old Sea Bee. He wanted to quit school to go. Grandma made him finish and graduate and on May 21st he turned 17 so he joined up. Got into Iwo thankfully a few weeks late because the ship he was on was having mechanical problems.

Response to snowybirdie (Reply #1)

Skittles This message was self-deleted by its author.

Grins

(8,525 posts)

5. 100% believe it!! And I know other instances in WEII.

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Mon Jun 23, 2025, 10:32 PM

Monday

Also knew an Army Colonel who was a Captain in Vietnam. Said as war was winding down a Huey went down. There was a Report Of Survey on the chopper - and everything in it!!

Said - on paper - they loaded so much stuff on that chopper that if they ever did an audit and calculated the weight of what they claimed was on it - it never would have gotten off the ground.

Because they didn’t want to account for it, but most of all - PAY for it! A lot of that equipment was signed for and the Army expected it to be returned.

Reply to this discussion