The 60th Battalion Seabees in Australia

THE 60TH BATTALION SEABEES IN AUSTRALIA
A UNITED STATES NAVAL CONSTRUCTION BATTALION

visits since 20 May 2000

The 60th Battalion left America on 25 March 1942, arriving in Brisbane, Australia, on 25 April 1942. They left Brisbane for Townsville, in five echelons, the last unit leaving on 15 June 1943. All units left Townsville on 27 June, 7, 9, 20 and 29th July arriving at Woodlark Island on 1, 11, 13 and 24th July and 2 August 1943.

The 60th Battalion built airstrips for fighter and bomber aircraft at Finschafen, New Guinea, and Owi Island in Dutch New Guinea. While at Finschafen (Diminish Field), the 60th Battalion Seabees and the 870th Engineer Aviation Battalion (a Negro unit) worked under the control of the 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion, US Army Corps of Engineers.

Other projects that the 60th Battalion worked on included construction of the naval base facilities, hospitals, barracks, warehouses, roads, tank farms, and docks at Brisbane and Townsville in Australia and at the islands of Hoemfoor, Amsterdam and Leyte in the Phillipines.

Photo:- Joe Maienschein

Sign that hung over the entrance to Joe Maienschein's father's Officer's quarters
when he was with the 60th SeaBees in Finchhaven, New Guinea in 1944-45.

Camp Seabee at Eagle Farm in Brisbane

The Seabees in Australia

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Joe Maienschein, Knights Landing, CA for his assistance with this home page.