SIXTH SPECIAL SEABEES BATTALION

The first section of the Sixth Special NCB arrived at Hueneme on April 10, 1943, and embarked
May 1, arriving at Nandi, Fiji Islands on May 15. On Dec. 29,1943, the first section left
Nandi, arrived at Guadalcanal Jan. 3, 1944, then left there Jan.16 for Torokina,
Bougainville, landing there four days later. The outfit worked at this base and also sent a
detachment to the Treasury Islands, which rejoined the main body on Bougainville, Aug. 18,
1944. The first section left Torokina on Oct.1 and arrived at Ullthi ten days later. The Sixth
Special was inactivated early in July, 1945, on Oahu and sent back to the. States.

The second section of the Sixth Special left Hueneme June 11, 1943, for Guadalcanal. On
Sept. 29, the first echelon of the second section embarked for Vella La Vella, and on Oct.
20, the second echelon left for the Russell Islands. Both units were attached to the Fourth
Marines Advanced Depot. The first echelon left Vella. La Vella on Nov. 22, 1943, arriving
at Bougainville the next day, and the second echelon left the Russells Dec. 19 and joined the
first echelon on Dec. 23. Parts of the first and second sections combined and were sent to
the Treasury Islands March 1944. The second section of the Sixth Special was inactivated
in June 1945. .

This "official" summary of the tour of the 6th Special Seabees fails to include the ill-fated landing of a portion of the 6th Special in Samar as US forces scrambled to establish bases around the Leyte Gulf.  see Frank Jardin's dramatic account.