18th NCB - Seabees Pacific!

[Carolyn]

18th NCB - Seabees History. The 18th Battalion was commisioned at Camp Allen, Norfolk Va., August 11, 1942, and transferred that day to Davisville R.I. On September 6, "C" Company was transferred to CB Replacment Group, Fleet Marine Force, San Diego, California. The remainder of the battalion was transferred to the FMF Base Depot, Norfolk. Embarking on September 11, 1942, the unit arrived at Noumea, New Caledonia, November 11. "A" "D" and Headquarters companies disembarked at Noumea, while "B" company sailed for Guadalcanal, landing December 6, 1942. On December 7, "A" "D" and Headquarters companies sailed from Noumea for Guadalcanal on two ships, and disembarked at Guadalcanal December 12. More detachments of the outfit arrived at Guadalcanal December 19 and 25. On April 7, 1943, the battalion, minus the rear echelon embarked at Guadalcanal and arrived at Wellington, New Zealand, April 16. The rear echelon arrived April 20. On April 26 the battalion was redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 18th Marine Engineers, 2nd Marine Division. On October 31, 1943 Companies "H" "I" and Headquarters sailed from Wellington for Tarawa. On November 21, and throughout the next three days detachments of 290 men and three officers disembarked at Tarawa, the remainder of the force continued to Hilo, Hawaii, landing December 5. "G" company left Wellington November 29 and arrived at Hilo December 12. Remainder of the echelons left Wellington a few days later and the last detachments arrived at Hilo January 6, 1944. The group left at Tarawa embarked on January 8, 1944, and arrived at Hilo January 21. On April 1, 1944, the battalion was redesignated as the 18th USN Construction Battalion and assigned to Corps Troops, Fifth Amphibious Corps, but remained attached to the Second Marine Division. On May 11, 1944, the battalion minus the rear echelon, left Hilo bound for Saipan. On June 15, 1944 (D-Day) seven shore party platoons landed on Saipan. On D-Plus-1, nine more shore party platoons went ashore, and on D-Plus-2, one shore party landed. Turning their attention to Tinian, a group of two officers and six men went ashore on that island on July 24 (J-Day). On July 26 (J-Plus-2) a detachment of 16 officers and 613 men landed on Tinian. The remaining men arrived on Saipan in small groups over a period of ten days. The rear echelon departed from Hilo in small groups during June and July, with the last group arriving on Tinian September 5, 1944. In June 1945 the battalion was inactivated