Can Do!: The Story of the Seabees

by
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 1997-10-01
Publisher(s): Naval Inst Pr
List Price: $28.85

Buy New

Usually Ships in 2-3 Business Days
$27.48

Rent Book

Select for Price
There was a problem. Please try again later.

Digital

Rent Digital Options
Online:1825 Days access
Downloadable:Lifetime Access
$32.34
*To support the delivery of the digital material to you, a non-refundable digital delivery fee of $3.99 will be charged on each digital item.
$32.34*

Used Book

We're Sorry
Sold Out

How Marketplace Works:

  • This item is offered by an independent seller and not shipped from our warehouse
  • Item details like edition and cover design may differ from our description; see seller's comments before ordering.
  • Sellers much confirm and ship within two business days; otherwise, the order will be cancelled and refunded.
  • Marketplace purchases cannot be returned to eCampus.com. Contact the seller directly for inquiries; if no response within two days, contact customer service.
  • Additional shipping costs apply to Marketplace purchases. Review shipping costs at checkout.

Summary

When William Bradford Huie, a reporter for H. L. Mencken's American Mercury, joined the U.S. Navy in 1943, he received a commission as a public relations officer in the little-known Civil Engineer's Corps Construction Battalions -- the Seabees. With the publication of Can Do! the following year, Americans soon came to appreciate the significance of the corps's work and the danger of their wartime activities. As readable and entertaining today as it was some fifty years ago, this account tells the story of the Seabees who landed with the Marines at Guadalcanal and Wake Island, Sicily and Salerno. Experienced civilian engineers, carpenters, steam-shovel operators, plumbers, truck drivers, surveyors, and the like, they landed with the first waves of American assault troops, bringing heavy equipment ashore to build roads, bridges, and airfields and repair whatever they could. Often working under enemy fire, they incurred many casualties and won the deep respect of everyone who came into contact with them. Huie's book is filled with spirited accounts of the Seabees's achievements in the Aleutians, the South Sea islands, Europe, and Africa. A passionate and convincing advocate, Huie wrote the book not only to call attention to their accomplishments but to serve as an inspiration to others, and he often has the Seabees tell their stories in their own words. Appendixes offer valuable details, including lists of casualties, award recipients, and Seabees' poems. An introduction by Donald R. Noble is included in this new paperback edition.

Table of Contents

Foreword 9(8)
Donald R. Noble
Introduction 17(4)
Ben Moreell
Acknowledgments 21(2)
1 History's Greatest Construction War
23(4)
2 Men and Mud at Munda
27(12)
3 Can Do at Guadalcanal
39(22)
4 The "Other Story" of Wake Island
61(20)
5 The Seabees Are Born
81(8)
6 Between Pearl Harbor and Guadalcanal
89(20)
7 The Magic Box of the Seabees
109(14)
8 Seabees at Salerno and in Sicily
123(22)
9 We Build Two Atlantic Roads
145(6)
10 "The Northern Highway to Victory"
151(20)
11 The Stevedore Battalions
171(8)
12 Seabee Humor and Ingenuity
179(14)
13 How the Seabees Built the "Ring Around Rabaul"
193(10)
14 "Old Faithful" Points for Tokyo
203(4)
Appendix 1: Awards to Individuals 207(10)
Appendix 2: Officers of the Civil Engineer Corps Reported Casualties or Prisoners of War as of March 1, 1944 217(14)
Appendix 3: Seabee Poetry 231(12)
Index 243

An electronic version of this book is available through VitalSource.

This book is viewable on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and most smartphones.

By purchasing, you will be able to view this book online, as well as download it, for the chosen number of days.

Digital License

You are licensing a digital product for a set duration. Durations are set forth in the product description, with "Lifetime" typically meaning five (5) years of online access and permanent download to a supported device. All licenses are non-transferable.

More details can be found here.

A downloadable version of this book is available through the eCampus Reader or compatible Adobe readers.

Applications are available on iOS, Android, PC, Mac, and Windows Mobile platforms.

Please view the compatibility matrix prior to purchase.