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Vol. 2 No. 26 Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, August 19, 2019 50 years after Hurricane Camille: How the Navy ’ “Can Do” spirit helped the Gulf Coast recover

By Ryan Labadens NCBC Public Affairs

The Gulf Coast region has been no stranger to extreme weather throughout the years, especially during hur- ricane season. More recent that spring to mind when people talk about hur- ricanes impacting the Gulf Coast are , which devastated the coast of Mississippi in 2005, and more recently , which ripped through the Flor- ida panhandle as a Category 5 just last year. One storm that generations past have always referred to as synonymous with desola- tion and destruction was Hurricane Camille. gency management staff, had already reviewed Seabees from the installation – supervised by This Category 5 hurricane made in Pass and implemented hurricane preparation plans, the 20th Naval Construction Regiment – rolled Christian, Miss., 50 years ago on Aug. 17, 1969, and the base opened up shelters on the in- into the surrounding communities to help with and left its mark on the stallation for dependents and base civilians to recovery efforts. Seabees and corpsmen from for years to come. weather out the storm. The captain and staff MCB 121 combed through the ruins of the Vet- The nation was in the middle of the Vietnam also worked with local governments and civil erans Administration Hospital in Gulfport, Miss., War at the time, and U.S. Navy Seabees from defense officials to coordinate their response helping move patients who had sheltered there Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) to the coming hurricane, and later how to deal to ambulances and buses for transportation to Gulfport were rotating battalions in and out of with its aftermath. in Biloxi so they could be Asia, building and maintaining roads, bridges, To this day, the maximum sustained winds flown to hospitals in Jackson, Miss., and New hospitals and other facilities in the Quang Tri of Hurricane Camille are still not known since Orleans, La. province of South Vietnam. Mobile Construc- the storm destroyed all wind-recording instru- Members of MCB 128, who had just returned tion Battalion (MCB) 128, as it was called at ments within the area of landfall, but revised from Vietnam, assisted with recovery efforts in the time, was just returning from its second de- estimates put wind speeds along the Mississippi Gulfport and Long Beach, Miss., while Seabees ployment to Vietnam, just as MCB 74 and MCB Gulf Coast at around 175 miles per hour, with a from MCB 121 rolled into Pass Christian to help 121 were in the midst of preparations for their in Pass Christian of nearly 25 feet. with search and rescue and clean-up efforts. upcoming tours in country. Since the base was on the eastern MCB 74 members who hadn’t already deployed Hurricane Camille put a damper on any de- side of the storm’s , it took a great deal of for their rotation to Vietnam were also helping ployment plans or post-deployment rest and re- wind damage that night. A total of 46 build- with recovery efforts, and about 500 trainees laxation as the Category 5 storm tore through ings on base were destroyed by the high winds from the base’s Construction Training Unit (now the Mississippi Gulf Coast late that Sunday night and rains, including 11 of the 20 warehouses known as Naval Construction Training Center and early the next morning. onboard the center. Only one of the base’s - (NCTC)) mobilized to assist the Seabees in Pass Capt. James M. Hill, Jr., commanding officer racks was still in livable conditions. Christian. of NCBC Gulfport back then, along with emer- In the days that followed, more than 1,700 The Seabees aided local civil defense and oth-

Assistant PAO Commanding Officer Ryan Labadens The Seabee Courier content does not neces- use without regard to race, color, religion, Capt. William Whitmire sarily reflect the official views of the U.S. -Gov gender, national origin, age marital status, Courier Staff ernment, the DoD or the U.S. Navy and does physical handicap, political affiliation or any MCC Rosalie Chang Public Affairs Officer not imply endorsement thereof. All content other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user Brian Lamar BU2 Mercedes Brotski MC3 Kohen Gillis in this publication shall be made available for or patron. Phone,228-871-3662. August 19, 2019 Seabee Courier 2 to

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The current shared have Seabees Navy the and community Coast Gulf Mississippi the 1942, “Since the strong relationship the Seabees have with their Mississippi Gulf Coast neighbors, and neighbors, Coast Gulf Mississippi their with have Seabees the relationship strong the they’re wherever needed. Navy to supporting the mission of the U.S. a long heritage with members of their emergency management team and assisted with communication communication with assisted and team management emergency their of members with Cit Panama efforts in recovery personnel up to date on keep evacuated efforts to that solidified the storm, the work that the Seabees - evacu to arms its opened even Gulfport NCBC running. and up back get to installations Cit Panama NSA from people 50 about in taking area, the from ees than stronger what itbeen, and that even had ever that relationship do – helped make relationship from August-October 1969 and https://www.weather.gov/) wherever they can, whenever they can, and however they can.” (Information for While repairs on the base were being made, the Sea- For nearly six weeks, Seabees from NCBC Gulfport “The Seabees provided much needed manpower and even persists spirit Do’ ‘Can and assist to willingness That er disaster recovery teams with house-to-house er searches disaster recovery for survivors in the firstfew daysfollowing the storm.At the same time, they also helped clear fallen other trees debris and strewn across the streets passable for emergency to and rescue vehicles. make They used roads at working had they equipment and vehicles available any the time – bulldozers, trucks, front-end loaders, fork lifts and removal debris with assist to – saws chain power and efforts. other recovery bees also set up a mobile trailer park known as ‘Camille Court’ just to the north of the base to house installation its At storm. the during homes their lost had who families height, the park consisted of almost 60 three-bedroom, trailers. two-bathroom worked daily to assist with recovery efforts in Gulfport, Long Beach and Pass Christian. Their efforts earned the base the Navy Unit Commendation for the exceptionally meritorious service the Seabees provided in helping the Coast get back on its feet. Mississippi Gulf Gulf Mississippi the of communities the help to equipment said Coast,” Jon Scott, Seabee Historical Foundation op- that “I using his believe or her skills to manager. erations assist those in need during a crisis or is task a Seabee does.” the most rewarding to this as day, evidenced most recently by the Seabee’s response to Hurricane Michael in October 2018. Seabees and 11 (NMCB) Battalions Construction Mobile Naval from 133 conducted relief efforts on two military installations in the – Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City and Air Tyndall Force Base – helping these