Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 NMCB 133
NMCB 133 insignia
Active	17 September 1943 – 1946 12 August 1966 – present
Country	United States
Branch	USN
Homeport	Construction Battalion Center Gulfport
Nickname(s)	"Runnin' Roos"
Motto(s)	"Kangroo Can Do"
Engagements	World War II Vietnam War Operation Provide Comfort Gulf War Operation Joint Endeavor Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Commanders
Current commander	CDR Miguel Dieguez

17 September 1943 – 1946

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 or NMCB 133 is a United States Navy Construction Battalion, otherwise known as a Seabee Battalion is homeported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi. (aka: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One Three Three – or – One Thirty Three) The unit was formed during WWII as the 133rd Naval Construction Battalion. It saw action and was decommissioned shortly after the war ended. The unit was reactivated as the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 for the Vietnam War and remains an active unit today.

The unit's history began on 17 September 1943 at Camp Peary, Virginia, where it was commissioned as the 133rd Naval Construction Battalion (NCB). After 7 months of training at Davisville, Gulfport and Port Hueneme the Battalion's first overseas assignment was NAS Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii (May–Oct 1944). On 15 October 1944 the Battalion received word that it was going to be attached to the 4th Marine Division. 30 October the Battalion was posted TAD to the 4th for the Assault on Iwo Jima, which happened on 19 February 1945. Before joining the 4th at Camp Maui, the men were put through the Pacific Jungle Combat Training Center (CTC) on Oahu, TH. And once assigned to the 23rd Marines the Battalion was de-organized with each Company posted to a different component of the 23rd before receiving their SP training. The Battalion's Shore Party assignment was to provide the beach support required by the forward lines of the 23rd,24th, and 25th Marines. The Division shipped out for Island "X" on 31 December with V Amphibious Corps. It wasn't until they were a few days out the men learned it was for a place they had never heard of called Iwo Jima. The assault for Iwo was based upon Tinian where the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions assault was "reinforced" by the 18th and 121st NCBs. On D-plus 3 the Jap airfield was secured and the Seabees had it operational in a few hours.(Fig. 1 indicates the Marines planned to have control of Iwo Jima in 3 days also) For Iwo the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions were "reinforced" by the 133rd and 31st NCBs. Marine planning maps indicate that O1 (objective Day 1) Motoyama Airfield No. 1 would be secured and 133 was assigned to get it operational. However, on D plus 5 that assignment was given to the 31st NCB due to the losses 133 had suffered. The next day 62 NCB landed, with the 3rd Marine Division (which was the assault reserve Division), and became the lead Battalion for Airfield No. 1. The 31st was assigned Airfield No. 2 and the 133rd was given Airfield No. 3. In just seven days the heavy equipment of the 3 combined Battalions had Airfield No. 1 operational. The battle for Iwo Jima took 26 days. During that time the 133rd suffered 328 casualties, with 3 officers and 39 enlisted killed in action while an additional 2 were MIA. It was the price paid for having the distinction of being ordered into USMC fatigues and landing Battalion Strength in an Assault as a Marine unit. They were deployed as a USMC Pioneer Battalion. Those losses were the highest for any Seabee unit ever. 133 NCB was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for its part in the Battle. Before that happened the Battalion crushed over 100,000 tons of rock, moved over 1 million cubic yards of earth, laid 5,800 feet of drainpipe, installed 4,000 feet of conduit and poured 725 yards of concrete. 133 leveled the site and built the entrance of the 4th's Cemetery on Iwo. In December 1945, with the military down-sizing from WWII, the Battalion was decommissioned due to the reduced need for the existing Naval Construction force.