I have done some searching today in an effort to discover more about my great uncle Jim’s naval career. I really don’t know what my great uncle Jim did for the Navy during World War II. I don’t know enough about military abbreviations to figure out what Jim’s actual rating or job entailed of as yet. At this point, the major clue I possess is his address in Norfolk in May 1942: Camp Bradford c/o Camp Allen. There are a few more letters from Jim mixed in with all the others that I haven’t unburied. I’m sure the puzzle will unravel itself eventually.

Camp Allen and Camp Bradford were the first bases for the SeaBees in Norfolk. And what, you might ask, was a SeaBee? If you didn’t already know, a SeaBee was a member of the United States Naval Construction Battalions. SeaBee is short for Construction Battalion, or CB. The SeaBees were responsible for building bases and any other military construction projects, often in combat zones. They were also expected “to go all over the world; they were to receive combat training and would be expected to build, fight, evacuate wounded, unload ships, or do whatever other odd jobs might be needed”.¹ Construction battalions were created after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  Civilian construction workers could not be used or protected adequately enough in combat zones.  On 28 December 1941, the Bureau of Navigation created three Construction Battalions. These original battalions each consisted of 1,073 men and 32 officers.² By March 1942, a new naval training facility for the Construction Battalions was built at Norfolk.  By the time great uncle Jim arrived in late May 1942, Camps Allen and Bradford were already overcrowded. 

When great uncle Jim enlisted, he was 38 years old. He was 10 months older than my grandfather. Neither my grandfather nor my great uncle seems to have been the typical soldier. Both were older men and they had a skill to offer the military. In my grandfather’s case, his skill was quite obvious.  I’m not sure what my great uncle was good at yet though. On the 1940 census, Jim was the assistant manager at a wholesale plumbing company. Ten years earlier, he was a clerk at a plumbing company. I’m betting that my uncle knew a thing or two about pipes. As I further research the probability that Jim was a SeaBee, his rating as CSF(T) on the U.S.S. Sylvania in 1945 becomes a little more clear. He was more likely a Chief Shipfitter instead of a member of the Security Force.  

Notes:

1. The Naval History Blog has a lot of history and additional information about the SeaBees. http://www.navalhistory.org/2012/02/29/seabees-name-and-insignia-officially-authorized
2. Ibid

Map of Norfolk, Virginia was found here.

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Letter transcription:

Wed.

Dear Mother,

Guess I’ve gotten three letters since I’ve written one Tue P.M. and two today, also got a letter from Dr. Roberts. Don’t know if I can answer all the questions or not. I’ll see if I can find Jim this Eve since I know his address now. I’m not sure that I know where Camp Allen is but I guess I can find it.

All I got about the narcotic papers was the tag I had on the wall. You said narcotic papers in Auth[?] letters but that’s the only thing I’ve gotten. I suppose they will come tomorrow.

That bill of Morgans is Ok. I had forgotten what I told him but now that he mentioned it that is what I’ve told him.

Got a letter from m

I’ve written you about the car registration several times but don’t expect anything for the car. Just get someone to take you to Lafayette one week from Fri and I can meet you at the ferry on Sat noon. It looks like I’ll have that Sat P.M. off since I have night Duty on Fri of that week. So plan on that. If we can get around to see the town OK if not we can look at each other. One of the boys from Ill[inois] was transferred to Great Lakes so maybe I can still live in hopes.

I wish you would see what dates I bought the Diver[?] + Uit B from Mass. I believe at that time I was even with them. Then I paid one check after that. Their bill seems a little high but maybe it’s right.

Alma probably has adhesion and they no doubt will cause her some trouble but there isn’t much she can do about them. They will gradually become less bothersome. I’ve been trying to think what I gave or did to Larry Reed the last time I was there, guess it didn’t do so well. That doesn’t sound right-he lived 3 mo. more than most people thought anyway.

You shouldn’t drive the car when that card is on the way. You might get run in.

Well, I’m going to write to Joe. He asked me about uniform etc.

Love Daddy

P.S. I haven’t done anymore about the flight examiner thing. I’m not sure of it being of any value after all.

©2012, copyrighted & written by Deborah Sweeney