Our History

 NMCB 74 has deployed around the world over the past five decades during times of war and times of need. The battalion has served in every corner of the world, doing every type of Seabee mission, supporting major combat operations, disaster recovery, humanitarian assistance, and hurricane recovery.

Those involved closely with the unit say it is the "can do" spirit of the men and women of NMCB 74 that they'll remember the most. 

"No matter what you put in front of them, they've always been able to overcome. Whether it be material shortages or the lack of food and water or conditions that are just hard to work in, they're always able to produce fantastic results," said Frank Carroll, Executive Officer for NMCB 74. "We have a great bunch of troops. They've done a fantastic job, both in mission and personal behaviors. Through my time here, some of the best people I've ever worked with."

Through the Years

In 1943, NMCB 74 was first commissioned for World War II, but it was deactivated just two years later in 1945. 

In 1966, NMCB 74 was recommissioned and trained for combat and for building whatever was required in Viet Nam. 

In 1967, Viet Nam Deployment Tour 1, commenced for NMCB 74 in the Republic of Viet Nam. 

In 1968, the battalion returned to the Republic of Viet Nam for Tour 2.

In 1969, Hurricane Camille struck Home Port - Gulfport, Mississippi. NMCB 74 assisted in cleanup and opening streets and highways due to that disaster before deploying for Viet Nam Deployment Tour 3.

Viet Nam Deployment Tour 4 commenced in the Republic of Viet Nam in 1970, overlapping into 1971.

Following the Vietnam War, NMCB 74 continued to serve her country. The battalion participated in peacetime construction efforts around the globe, including deployments to Diego Garcia; Guam; Okinawa, Japan; Puerto Rico; Rota, Spain; and Sigonella, Sicily.

In 1979, NMCB 74 again assisted in disaster cleanup in Gulfport and surrounding cities after Hurricane Frederick struck.

In April 1986, the battalion was awarded the Coast Guard Unit Commendation Citation for supporting the construction of a new Loran C station in Guam during a nine-month deployment.

1990-1991 NMCB 74 deployed to Southwest Asia as part of Operations Desert Shield/Storm in support of enforcing the United Nations sanctions against the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The battalion initially deployed to Suman Air Base, Bahrain, then redeployed in mid-December to Ra’s Al Mish’ab in northeastern Saudi Arabia. Detail sites included Al Jubail, Al Kibirt, and Al Khafji in Saudi Arabia, and Suman Air Base in Bahrain. Among the battalion’s projects were the construction and maintenance of 30 miles of the 200-mile-long main supply route, building one of the largest ammunition facilities in the world, a 1,500 foot stabilized soil runway for C-130 aircraft, two large camps for Marines, and support for NMCB 5 in building a 15,000-man camp known as "Wally World." The battalion’s most notable achievement, however, was Bravo Company’s construction of tank and artillery mock-ups in support of Task Force Troy, Commanding General Norman Schwarzkopf’s successful decoy that was deployed to disguise the main thrust of the allied assault on Iraq.

In 1993, the battalion received the Battle "E" award as Best of Type among Atlantic Fleet battalions following an outstanding Okinawa deployment.

In 1994, while deployed to the Caribbean region, the battalion sent Air Detachments to Grand Turk Island and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to support the construction of migrant processing facilities. Once the mission in Grand Turk was complete, the first Air Det was transferred to Cuba, putting just over 200 of NMCB 74’s finest in support of Joint Task Force 160. The battalion bore the brunt of constructing facilities to house 70,000 Cuban migrants. 

In 1995, after returning to homeport, the battalion was selected to receive the Peltier Award, a highly prestigious honor given each year to the best active-duty battalion among the eight mobile construction battalions.

In 1998, after readopting its original "Fearless" motto, the battalion again provided cleanup assistance at the Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, MS, and throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast due to damage caused by Hurricane Georges. Secretary of Defense William Cohen presented more than 200 members of the battalion the Humanitarian Service Medal.

In 1999, the battalion deployed to the Caribbean again, and assisted the Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH) in its relocation from Panama to Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. Buildings were constructed from the ground up and renovations made to already-existing facilities. The battalion also responded that year to the Kosovo refugee crisis, constructing shelter for 500 displaced civilians in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. For its efforts the battalion was again presented the Peltier Award as the best active duty battalion.

In 2000, NCMB 74 deployed to Okinawa, and sent a Deployment for Training (DFT) to the Philippines and the Kingdom of Thailand as part of Cooperation and Readiness Afloat (CARAT) exercise, and also participated in recovery efforts after Typhoons Jelawat and Saomai on Okinawa. The battalion set records for rock blasting as part of a joint construction operation on Annette Island, Alaska. In recognition of its superb construction efforts throughout the Pacific Rim, NMCB 74 was once again selected to receive the Battle "E" award, its fourth in eight years.

In 2001, NMCB 74 became the final battalion to deploy a mainbody to Camp Moscrip in Puerto Rico, with detail sites at Andros Island, Bahamas; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Jacksonville, Florida; New London, Connecticut; Norfolk, Virginia; and Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. The battalion also sent DFTs to Great Inagua Island, Bahamas; conception, Paraguay; and Salta, Argentina. The battalion completed substantial construction tasking throughout the Atlantic region and provided security support at Camp Garcia on Vieques in response to anti-Navy protests during several Composite Unit Training Exercises. After the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001, security measures were increased, and NMCB 74 dispatched crew-served weapons teams, constructed force protection barriers and established a Command Operations Center. While maintaining these measures, the battalion was simultaneously assigned to realign and consolidate Camp Moscrip facilities and equipment in preparation for a new six-month deployed/ten-month homeport rotation cycle. By deployment’s end all facilities were either reassigned to Naval Station Roosevelt Roads or reconfigured for Detachment spaces.

In 2002, the battalion deployed five details from the Caribbean to Camp Covington, Guam 5, as well as a Civic Actions Team to Palau. Shortly after deploying to Guam in early October, the battalion’s Air Det Heavy redeployed to Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base in central Kuwait for the construction of the F/A-18 Parking Apron and Taxiway project for the 3rd Marine Air Wing.  Just after Guam was back into shape, the Battalion re-deployed their SLRP, AP, and OPP to Kuwait in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, making significant and critical contributions to First Marine Expeditionary Force’s (I MEF) successful campaign to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime and liberate the people of Iraq. The battalion:

• completed the largest, pre-hostilities construction project in the entire operational theater;
• played a defining role in shaping the Naval Construction Force’s operational scheme of maneuver for contingency, non-standard bridging; and 
• provided superb contingency engineering support to First Marine Division during the war, enhancing mobility for assault forces’ logistics and constructing countless force protection and battle space sustainment improvement projects 

before the returning to a hero’s welcome at homeport Gulfport, Mississippi on the 30th of May 2003.

In 2004, NMCB 74 deployed 329 personnel to Rota, Spain; Sigonella, Italy; Souda Bay, Greece; Slunj, Croatia; and Accra, Ghana, and 335 personnel to Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II (OIF II). The Fearless Battalion returned home to Gulfport by the end of August.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit, and once again, NMCB 74 assisted in the cleanup in Gulfport, Mississippi and surrounding cities. On 8 October 2005, the Kashmir region of Pakistan suffered a catastrophic 7.6 magnitude earthquake, causing more than 80,000 deaths and the complete destruction of many towns and villages in the region. The battalion deployed to assist in restoring needed water wells, resurrecting homes, repairing roads to restore order to the Pakistani population.

2006-2007, NMCB 74 deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Guam, San Nicholas Island, and Whidbery Island.

2008 NMCB 74 deployed to Camp Buehring, Kuwait and Camp Virginia, Kuwait. Detachments deployed to Afghanistan; Camp Moreell, Kuwait; NAVCENT/Bahrain; Horn of Africa; Andros Island; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Constanta, Romania; Bulgaria; and Rota, Spain. Deployments for Training deployed to Africa.

2014 NMCB 74 decommissioned July 25th in Gulfport Mississippi.

A W A R D S

NMCB-74 has been selected "Best of Type" among the Atlantic Fleet battalions nine times during its history. It was awarded this honor under CDR Gordon W. Schley for fiscal year 1968, CDR James E. Bodamer in 1973, CDR Daniel B. Leonard in 1976, CDR Arthur W. Fort in 1978, CDR B. Daniel Neal in 1993, CDR Ronald W. Hertwig Jr. in 1994, CDR William M. Peacock III in 1999, CDR Francis P. Castaldo in 2000 and CDR Clifford M Maurer in 2003. 

The battalion received the Society of American Military Engineers’ Peltier Award, honoring the best active duty battalion, in 1978, 1994, 1999, and 2003. 

In 2003 the Battalion was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

NMCB 74 received the Navy Unit Commendation Medal three times, once in WWII, following its first Vietnam deployment, and again in 1969.

In April 1986, the battalion was awarded the Coast Guard Unit Commendation Citation for supporting the construction of a new Loran C station in Guam during a nine-month deployment.

NMCB 74 earned the Battle Effectiveness Award 11 times, most recently in 2007.