Seabee Tribute (Future) Project

[MazdaFlyer]

Thinking about doing a Seabee theme bike. This the 80th year anniversary of the Seabees.
If there is a summer build off I might jump in with one. I’d planned to retire from doing organized build off projects. But I have a candidate bike and some ideas. I might just do one under the radar.
Served in the USNR with MCB-3, did a couple of Vietnam tours. I don’t remember seeing any military bikes, just local bikes, pedicabs and mopeds in country.

This one would supply some parts. There is around 4 layers of paint on the CWC frame.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

I met some Seabees down in Gulfport, MS in 1982. Solid group with a great history.

Mulling over a military commemorative build in my brain for several years now and will execute it eventually.

 

[wheelbender6]

We worked with the Seabees in the first Gulf War. Good guys.
One of our heavy equipment operators knocker over an aluminum street light at an airfield.
Seabees raised it back up and repaired with a weld.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

 

[Walter Zoomie]

My grandfather was a SeaBee in the Aleutians (Adak) during WW2, and I had a great uncle who was a SeaBee in the south Pacific (Guam) during the war as well.

 

[Irontri]

View attachment 187866

Hey, current SeaBee and custom builder here. We might have to pick brains at some point and share ideas. I’m actually doing an Air Force build shortly.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

My grandfather was a SeaBee in the Aleutians (Adak) during WW2, and I had a great uncle who was a SeaBee in the south Pacific (Guam) during the war as well.

When called to active duty I was sent to Guam for a few months before our Battalion deployed to Vietnam.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Inspiration…and color pallet.

 

[nevin]

i got some good stuff for ya. scanning it in now.
i have some stuff that was my great-uncle jack's (who was in the seabee's in WWII)

here's some more inspiration.

a roughly 8" canvas painting

a roughly 7" painted wood carving

and a pillow cover.

i can send you larger scans or make files you can get cut vinyl lettering done.
(or i can help if you want stickers, lettering, etc. because i work at a print shop)


... if this build will be like any of your other builds, we're in for a treat!

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Incredibly cool collection, @nevin !

 

[deven_science]

Retired Seabee Chief here. I'll be watching this build. I've built a Navy themed bike before, but thus far, have not done a Seabee build specifically.

And @nevin , I ended my career as the AOIC for the detachment at Camp Parks! I've never seen that pillow cover before, that's incredible! If you ever decide you're okay with parting with it, I'm your man, though I'd understand if you don't, being your great-uncle's stuff.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Thinking blue and yellow pallet colors. Or could do more traditional gray, green or beige pallet colors. Don’t want to do a clown bike so waffling some on a final look.

 

[Irontri]

View attachment 189778
Thinking blue and yellow pallet colors. Or could do more traditional gray, green or beige pallet colors. Don’t want to do a clown bike so waffling some on a final look.

Oorah 3!

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Maybe 2024…

 

[Pestcontrol02]

My 9th grade machine shop instructor was a Seabee, awesome dude..
still remember many of his lessons, how to measure for square, set up a drill press and lathe, how to pack bearings..
I clicked the watch button, for whenever you get around to this project.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

My rating was Engineering Aide Draftsman, I passed the E5 exam but didn’t reenlist so at end of active duty was E4. No GNSS for us in ‘65.

• Engineering Aides (EA) plan, supervise, and perform tasks required in construction design preparation, surveying, drafting, materials testing, and construction management; establish control survey points, run and close traverses, run level circuits, create topographic maps, stake out construction projects, employing conventional and Global Navigation Survey Systems (GNSS); prepare, edit, and reproduce construction drawings; establish and oper ate systems for testing soils, concrete and other…
• 

 

[Ulu]

Nobody mentions that the SeaBees were called that because they were the CB: the Construction Battalion.

The ones that I met had been putting temporary landing strips out in the jungle and locating portable radar Bases.

I’m pretty sure they built the bunkers and Quanset’s when my dad was stationed in Dong Ha.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Nobody mentions that the SeaBees were called that because they were the CB: the Construction Battalion.

The ones that I met had been putting temporary landing strips out in the jungle and locating portable radar Bases.

I’m pretty sure they built the bunkers and Quanset’s when my dad was stationed in Dong Ha.

• There are seven Seabee ratings: BU--Builders, CE--Construction Electrician, CM--Construction Mechanic, EA--Engineering Aid, EO--Equipment Operator, SW--Steelworker and UT--Utilitiesman. While each is a specialist in his own area, each Seabee is expected to know enough about each others' ratings to do basic work.

 

[Ulu]

My first real job after school was as an engineering aid. I was working with construction drawings and writing code to build things on a production line.

 

[Irontri]

• There are seven Seabee ratings: BU--Builders, CE--Construction Electrician, CM--Construction Mechanic, EA--Engineering Aid, EO--Equipment Operator, SW--Steelworker and UT--Utilitiesman. While each is a specialist in his own area, each Seabee is expected to know enough about each others' ratings to do basic work.

There’s also a secret diver option they can do and they follow a parallel path of the ND rate while working at teams vs battalions. I’m one of them, but on the officer side.