Seabees monument will be unveiled in Bloomfield

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- U.S. Navy Seabee veterans are working throughout the nation to recognize fallen comrades.

A monument serving that purpose will be unveiled Saturday at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield. A Seabee is a member of the Navy's Construction Battalion; the word Seabee comes from the initials "CB." Seabees often built bases, airstrips and roads for their fellow soldiers.

The Navy Seabee Veterans of America's goal is to have a Seabee monument erected in every veterans cemetery in the nation.

Thomas M. Meyer, a Navy Seabee veteran from 1969 to 1972, said national monuments are already in place across the country, including at Missouri's Jefferson Barracks.

Now, the focus is on state cemeteries.

Meyer, a member of Southeast Missouri Seabee Chapter Island 5, said the monument in Bloomfield will be the first at a state veterans cemetery in Missouri. The event will take place at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and will include veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

He said state Sen. Wayne Wallingford of Cape Girardeau and state Sen. Doug Libla of Poplar Bluff, Mo., will speak at the event.

Meyer said the Seabees' dwindling numbers are one of many reasons they felt it was time to ensure the history of the group of largely unknown soldiers is carried on for future generations. The number of Seabee veterans has dwindled from 325,000 during World War II to fewer than 5,000 in 2014.

Formed during World War II, the Navy Seabees are mostly known for their work as engineers and construction workers. Meyer said he wants people to understand Seabees were like other soldiers and in some cases found themselves in dangerous situations.

In fact, Meyer said the elite Navy SEALS was formed from the Seabees.

"The Seabees would go in with the Marines, and in many cases before, to clear beaches and other areas," Meyer said. "On D-Day, the Seabees were the first soldiers at Normandy." He explained that a special underwater demolition team of Seabees cleared land mines and other obstacles left by the Germans on the French beaches before the invasion.

Meyer, who hails from Cape Girardeau, served in Vietnam and remembers with pride his days as a Seabee.

"Wherever we were sent, we were actually under fire when we went in," he said. "It was our job to secure that location so other soldiers could then enter."

When they arrived on land, crews often had to fight before they could begin construction work, for which the organization is most well known.

A common misconception that the Seabees didn't see combat is one reason Meyer is excited to see the memorial in place. He said it's not about his service, but about those who gave their lives as Seabees and honoring their memories.

"We're hoping for a good turnout this weekend," he said.

For more information on the event or for driving directions, call the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield at 573-568-3871.