76th SEABEES of World War II

Guam Order of Battle












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5th Naval Construction Brigade Armorial-WWII
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Reconstructed image from WWII blueprint.

Heraldry of the 5th Naval Construction Brigade of WWII

Upon a Shield Argent: Centered thereon, Azure The Blade of a Construction Spade pointing downward,  above, an escrolled Naval Ribbon of Azure, with the words, Or 5th Naval Construction Brigade, at the point the US Navy Civil Engineer Corps Insignia. Upon the Spade an LST  surrounded by an ocean of Azure, bow doors open, ramp down, unloading a SEABEE bulldozer; Insignia upon the blade.

Crest: A Globe of Azure surmounted, with the Roman Letter "V"  Argent for the 5th Brigade and for Victory, Standing atop the Globe, an American Bald Eagle, wings spread 'for protection of America',  gazing downward upon the Brigade.
















 
Southern Troops and Landing Force
Order of Battle for Guam
1944

FORCE TROOPS--Major General Roy S. Geiger

    Headquarters and Service Battalion, III Amphibious Corps (less detachments)
    Signal Battalion, III Amphibious Corps (less detachments)
    4th Marine Ammunition Company
    Detachment, Argus 17 (Shore-based Fighter Director Unit)
    Detachment, Marine Air Warning Squadron-2
    Detachment, 756th Air Warning Company (Army)
    Communication Unit 41 (Navy)

III AMPHIBIOUS CORPS ARTILLERY--Brigadier General Pedro A. del Valle

    Headquarters and Headquarters and Service Battery, III Amphibious Corps Artillery
    1st 155mm Howitzer Battalion (less Battery C attached to Brigade Artillery Group on landing)
    2d 155mm Howitzer Battalion
    7th 155mm Gun Battalion

3D MARINE DIVISION (Reinforced)--Major General Alan H. Turnage

  1. 9th Combat Team
    9th Marines
    1st Battalion (less Companies B and C), 19th Marines (Engineers)
    Company D, 19th Marines (Pioneers)
    Company G, 25th Naval Construction Battalion (plus detachment, Headquarters Company)
    3d Tank Battalion (less Companies B and C)
    Reconnaissance Company (less 2 platoons), 3d Headquarters Battalion
    1st Messenger Dog Section (less 1 squad), 2d War Dog Platoon
    1st Scout Dog Section (less 1 squad), 3d War Dog Platoon
    Company A, 3d Motor Transport Battalion
    Company A, 3d Medical Battalion
    1st Band Section
    Detachment, 3d Joint Assault Signal Company

  2. 21st Combat Team
    21st Marines
    Company B, 19th Marines (Engineers)
    2d Battalion (less Companies D and F), 19th Marines (Pioneers)
    Company H, 25th Naval Construction Battalion (plus detachment, Headquarters Company)
    1st and 2d Platoons, Company B, 3d Tank Battalion
    2d Platoon, Reconnaissance Company, 3d Headquarters Battalion
    2d Messenger Dog Section (less 1 squad), 2d War Dog Platoon
    2d Scout Dog Section (less 1 squad), 3d War Dog Platoon
    Company B, 3d Motor Transport Battalion
    Company B, 3d Medical Battalion
    2d Band Section
    Detachment, 3d Joint Assault Signal Company

  3. 3d Combat Team
    3d Marines
    Company C, 19th Marines (Engineers)
    Company F, 19th Marines (Pioneers)
    25th Naval Construction Battalion (less Companies G and H and 2 detachments, Headquarters Company)
    Company C, 3d Tank Battalion
    3d Messenger Dog Section (less 1 squad), 2d War Dog Platoon
    3d Scout Dog Section (less 1 squad), 3d War Dog Platoon
    Company C, 3d Motor Transport Battalion
    Company C, 3d Medical Battalion
    3d Band Section
    Detachment, 3d Joint Assault Signal Company

  1. 12th Marines (Reinforced)
    12th Marines
    14th Defense Battalion (less 155mm Seacoast Artillery group, 2 90mm batteries, 1 searchlight platoon, and detachments, Headquarters and Service Battery)
    Artillery Liaison Group, III Amphibious Corps

  2. 1st Armored Amphibian Battalion (less Companies A and B )

  3. 3d Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Reinforced)

  4. Motor Transport Battalion (less Company C), III Amphibious Corps (DUKW's)

  5. Reserve Group
    3d Headquarters Battalion [less 3 Band Sections and 3d Reconnaissance Company (less 4th Platoon)]
    Company B (less 2 platoons), 3d Tank Battalion
    2d War Dog Platoon (less 6 squads)
    3d War Dog Platoon (less 6 squads)
    3d Joint Assault Signal Company (less detachments)
    Detachment, Signal Battalion, III Amphibious Corps

  6. Engineer Group
    19th Marines (less 1st and 2d Battalions)
    2d Separate Engineer Battalion
    Company B, 2d Special Naval Construction Battalion
    Garrison Beach Party

  7. Service Group
    3d Service Battalion (less detachments)
    3d Medical Battalion (less Companies A, B, and C)
    3d Motor Transport Battalion (less Companies A, B, and C )
    Detachment, Service Group, 5th Field Depot
    2d Marine Ammunition Company (less 4th Platoon)

1ST PROVISIONAL MARINE BRIGADE (Reinforced)--Brigadier General Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.

  1. Brigade Troops
    Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    Military Police Company (less 1st and 2d Platoons), 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    Signal Company (less detachments), 1st Provisional Marine Brigade

  2. 4th Combat Team
    4th Marines
    Tank Company, 4th Marines
    Engineer Company, 4th Marines
    Pioneer Company, 4th Marines
    Medical Company, 4th Marines
    Motor Transport Company, 4th Marines
    Reconnaissance Platoon, 4th Marines
    Ordnance Platoon, 4th Marines
    Service and Supply Platoon, 4th Marines
    1st Platoon, Military Police Company, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    4th Platoon, 2d Marine Ammunition Company
    Detachment, 5th Field Depot
    1st War Dog platoon
    1st Joint Assault Signal Party, Signal Company, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade

  3. 22d Combat Team
    22d Marines
    Tank Company, 22d Marines
    Pioneer Company, 22d Marines
    Engineer Company, 22d Marines
    Medical Company, 22d Marines
    Motor Transport Company, 22d Marines
    Reconnaissance Platoon, 22d Marines
    Ordnance Platoon, 22d Marines
    Service and Supply Platoon, 22d Marines
    Band Section, 22d Marines
    2d Platoon, Military Police Company, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    1st Provisional Replacement Company
    Detachment, 5th Field Depot
    Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 515 (Navy)
    2d Joint Assault Signal Party, Signal Company, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade

  4. Companies A and B, 1st Armored Amphibian Battalion

  5. Amphibian Tractor Group
    4th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Reinforced)
    Company C, Motor Transport Battalion, III Amphibious Corps (DUKW's)

  6. Artillery Group
    Artillery Headquarters Detachment, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
    75mm Pack Howitzer Battalion, 4th Marines
    75mm Pack Howitzer Battalion, 22d Marines
    305th Field Artillery Battalion (attached on landing)
    Battery C, 1st 155mm Howitzer Battalion (attached on landing)

  7. 305th Combat Team (USA)
    305th Infantry
    305th Field Artillery Battalion (detached on landing)
    Battery A, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion (detached on landing)
    Company C, 706th Tank Battalion (less 1 platoon)
    242d Engineer Combat Battalion
    Company A, 302d Engineer Combat Battalion
    Company A and 1 platoon, Company D, 302d Medical Battalion
    1 platoon, Company A, 88th Chemical Battalion
    Detachment, 77th Signal Company
    Detachment, 777th Ordnance Company
    Detachment, 292d Joint Assault Signal Company
    Detachment, Prisoner of War Interrogation Team

  8. Antiaircraft Group
    9th Defense Battalion (less 155mm Seacoast Artillery Group, 90mm Antiaircraft Group, and detachments, Headquarters and Service Battery)
    Battery A, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion (attached on landing)

  1. 53d Naval Construction Battalion

  2. Medical Battalion, III Amphibious Corps (Reinforced)

77TH INFANTRY DIVISION (Reinforced) (USA)--Major General Andrew D. Bruce

  1. Division Troops
    Headquarters, 77th Infantry Division
    Special Troops

      Headquarters Company, 77th Infantry Division
      Military Police Platoon, 77th Infantry Division
      777th Ordnance Company (Light Maintenance) (less detachments)
      77th Quartermaster Company
      77th Signal Company (less detachments)
      77th Infantry Division Band
      77th Reconnaissance Troop

    Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 77th Infantry Division Artillery
    306th Field Artillery Battalion
    302d Engineer Combat Battalion (less Companies A, B, and C)
    302d Medical Battalion (less Companies A, B, C, and 1 platoon, Company D)
    36th Field Hospital (less 2 platoons)
    95th Portable Surgical Hospital
    Company A (less 1 platoon), 88th Chemical Battalion
    92d Bomb Disposal Squad
    292d Joint Assault Signal Company (less detachments)
    7th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion [less Companies A, B, and C (less 1 platoon)]
    404th Ordnance Company (Medium Maintenance)
    Prisoner of War Interrogation Team (less detachments)
    Detachment, Counter Intelligence Corps
    Joint Intelligence Center, Pacific Ocean Areas Team
    Signal Photo Sections 1 and 2

  2. 306th Combat Team
    306th Infantry
    304th Field Artillery Battalion
    Company B, 302d Engineer Combat Battalion
    132d Engineer Combat Battalion
    Detachment, 292d Joint Assault Signal Company
    Company B, 302d Medical Battalion
    Battery B, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion
    Detachment, 77th Signal Company
    Detachment, 777th Ordnance Company
    Company B, 706th Tank Battalion
    1st Platoon, 36th Field Hospital

  3. 307th Combat Team
    307th Infantry
    902d Field Artillery Battalion
    Company C, 302d Engineer Combat Battalion
    233d Engineer Combat Battalion
    Detachment, 292d Joint Assault Signal Company
    Company C, 302d Medical Battalion
    Battery C, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion
    Company A, 706th Tank Battalion
    Detachment, 77th Signal Company
    Detachment, 777th Ordnance Company
    2d Platoon, 36th Field Hospital

GARRISON FORCE (when released by Southern Troops and Landing Force)--Under Island Commander, Major General Henry C. Larsen, USMC 

    1st Provisional Base Headquarters Battalion
    3d Marine Division (Reinforced)
    14th Defense Battalion (less detachments)
    9th Defense Battalion (less detachments)
    2d Special Engineer Battalion
    25th Naval Construction Battalion
    53d Naval Construction Battalion
    Company B, 2d Special Naval Construction Battalion
    Communication Unit 41
    5th Field Depot
    Detachment, 5th Naval Construction Brigade
    Detachment, Marine Air Group 21
    Detachment, Lion 6 Advance Naval Base
    Detachment, Argus 17
    Detachment, Marine Air Warning Squadron 2
    Detachment, 746th Air Warning Company
    Army defense troops
    Other units as assigned.
















 After the recapture of the island by the United States Military Forces, Commodore W. O. Hiltabidle, CEC USN, Commander 5th Naval Construction Brigade, set up his command post at Adelup Point, which had been the location of a Battery of large Imperial Japanese coastal guns.
 

Seabees of the 5th Naval Construction Brigade under Commodore William O. Hiltabiddle (CEC), USN, were busily engaged in their assigned tasks of airfield construction and Island improvement and repair. The Seabees also undertook the expansion of the island's existing water and Harbor facilities to meet the requirements of the thousands of troops present.  

Some indication of the broad scope of the work planned for the Construction Brigade was the assignment of nine naval and three special (stevedore) Naval Construction Battalions, one Marine Special Engineer Battalion, and four Army Aviation Engineer Battalions to its initial complement.

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