Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11

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Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11 (NMCB 11) is a United States Navy Seabee battalion based at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Mississippi. It was formed in 1942 as the 11th Naval Construction Battalion and has been activated, deactivated, and reactivated several times. Since 2007 it has served as a modern “SMART Battalion,” supporting base construction, repair, disaster response, and humanitarian missions around the world.

History overview
- World War II: Created 28 June 1942 at Camp Allen, later moving to Camp Bradford. The unit built bases and harbor facilities in the Pacific; there was one construction-related fatality. It was inactivated on 1 December 1945 at Subic Bay, Philippines.
- 1953–1969: Reactivated as Mobile Construction Battalion 11 at Port Hueneme, California. The battalion returned to Subic Bay to work on Naval Air Station Cubi Point and related projects, including major efforts at Kwajalein, Okinawa, Midway, and Subic Bay. It also supported Typhoon Karen repairs on Guam and conducted embassy-related engineering work behind the Iron Curtain. The 1967 Vietnam tour was the most intense for Seabees since WWII, with 128 firefights, 12 killed, and 102 wounded. Four Vietnam tours were completed, with one sailor earning a ribbon for all four tours. The unit was deactivated in 1969.
- 2007–present: Recommissioned on 14 September 2007. NMCB 11 is considered the first “SMART Battalion” and focuses on advance base construction, battle damage repair, contingency engineering, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief. It has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and has conducted Pacific operations and Hurricane Sandy relief. Its current homeport is Gulfport, Mississippi.

Selected projects and locations (illustrative)
- Samoa (Upolu, Tutuila, Pago Pago): base and harbor facilities, fuel systems and docks.
- Nouméa, New Caledonia: Naval Mobile Hospital 5 and associated detachments.
- Banika Island (Russell Islands) and Admiralty Islands: docks and seaplane facilities.
- Seeadler Harbor, Milne Bay: seaplane base repairs and fleet support facilities.
- Subic Bay, Philippines: Amphibious Training Center, Advance Base Construction Depot, a marine railway, and a large supply pier.
- Cubi Point, Philippines: major air station construction with other CBs.
- Kwajalein, Okinawa, Midway, Guam: housing, roads and infrastructure; DoD housing on Kwajalein; Typhoon Karen repairs in Guam (1962).
- 1965–1968: embassy repair missions behind the Iron Curtain and other notable assignments.
- 1960s changes: In 1968 the Navy adopted the current NMCB naming format to reduce confusion with Marine Corps terminology.

Insignia and traditions
- After reactivation, NMCB 11 used a dice insignia showing the number eleven. This design was adopted to represent the battalion, and variations appeared on cruise-book covers over the years.

Awards
- Vietnam service: NMCB 11 earned a Vietnam Battle Streamer with one silver star and two bronze stars, reflecting eight of the 18 Vietnam award periods in which the battalion participated. The unit has received multiple other unit citations and commendations for its actions.

Homeport
- Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi.

Today, NMCB 11 continues to serve as a versatile Seabee battalion, delivering construction, repair, and humanitarian assistance to support U.S. military operations and global relief efforts.