takes the reader into the immensely intriguing would of the U.S. Navy's Construction Battalions. Deriving their name from the abbreviation of the term "Construction Battalion," the Seabees have a proud tradition of building roads, airfields, bases and other military facilities under combat conditions, often on real estate that was being hotly contested by U.S. and enemy troops. Often, the Seabees have causeways and serviceable roads in place within hours of an amphibious landing, necessitating construction in areas that had not been entirely cleared of enemy troops. This highly readable trade paperback presents the first hand accounts of 36 men from different backgrounds and eras that are joined by the common thread of service with the Seabees. Author Irene Dumas provides a glimpse of ordinary men who served in a most extraordinary organization in times of war and peace. In her personable style, she tells a story that all members of the family can enjoy. Her stories richly portray many major military and world events from the perspectives of those who actually lived through them. Although the exploits of the Seabees in the South Pacific in World War Two are well known, some of their missions in Europe, Korea, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean are less well known. Told by the men who carried the carbines and ran the bulldozers, this book plunges deeply into human experience that is all too quickly passing into history.