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Great 58 Scholarship
The “Great 58 Scholarship” was funded in 2024 by the NMCB 58 Association.
The 58th Naval Construction Battalion was commissioned on 26 December 1942 at Camp Allen, Norfolk Virginia. After several months of military and technical training, they arrived at Vella La Vella from Guadalcanal on 13 august 1943 and were the first Seabee battalion to land with initial assault wave in World War II. They quickly established a beachhead and began constructing a fighter air base in the jungles of the Northern Solomons, which they kept operational during 26 days of Japanese bombing and for 4 months thereafter. On 1 April 1945, they went ashore with the assault waves of the 6th Marine Division, working day and night establishing roads, bridges, water supply, communication and earthwork for permanent installations. At the end of the war, they redeployed to home and the battalion was decommissioned in May of 1947.
On 15 March 1966, NMCB 58 was recommissioned at Davisville, Rhode Island and commenced training at various sites, including infantry training at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. In October, 1966, they deployed to Red Beach One, north of Da Nang, RVN. While there, they expanded the base at Haskins and built many facilities for the Air Defense Marines at Monkey Mountain as well as more facilities for both the Marine Force Logistic Command and the First Marine Division and the Da Nang Naval Support Activity. They also did much civic action to support the local Vietnamese.
After returning home in June of 1967, they redeployed again to Camp Haskins, where they had many detachments deployed to seven different locations, plus two Seabee teams, supporting US and South Korean forces. NMCB 58 was also heavily involved in the actions of the 1968 Tet Offensive in all of these locations. Again, after coming back home in August of 1968, only to return to Viet Nam in February 1969, this time to the Chu Lai Combat Base, where they provided many recovery services to Marine Air Group 12, after their major enemy attack. They also did major repairs to roads and bridges that had been destroyed at Song Tra Bong. During that period, they sent detachments to seven other areas to restore many other facilities damaged during the Tet Offensive. They finished their deployment in October and were decommissioned for the final time on 17 November,1969 after receiving about a dozen commendations from various US and foreign agencies and nations.
Interested in Funding an Endowed Scholarship?
Endowed Scholarships allow our investors to build a lasting legacy, impacting Seabee children and grandchildren for generations to come. Endowed Scholarships often honor or memorialize family members, Seabee leaders, NAVFAC units, organizations or corporations. Perpetual Named scholarships can be funded at three levels, $60,000, $120,000 and $150,000 and are named by the donor.
Contact Dan Miller at danmiller@seabee.org to start a endowed scholarship.