NAVAL MOBILE CONSTRUCTION BATTALION

TWENTY

UNIT HISTORY

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Naval Construction Battalion Twenty was commissioned at Camp Allen, Virginia, on August 20, 1942. Aiding the efforts of the nation during World War II, the 20th NCB operated at various locations throughout the Pacific theater including Noumea, New Caledonia; Woodlark Island, New Guinea; Oleana Bay, Vangunu Island; Viru Harbor, New Guinea; Kirwana; and the Russell Islands. The battalion was called on to build camps, roads, air strips, docks, barges, bridges, warehouses and even a building to house an Army Coca Cola plant when they were later deployed on Saipan.

The 20th Naval Construction Battalion was operating as a component of the 39th Naval Construction Regiment on Okinawa when the war ended in August. On November 8, 1945, the battalion was deactivated.

In July, 1961 the Reserve Mobile Construction Battalion Twenty was officially established at Naval Training Center, N&MCRTC, Youngstown, Ohio.

The battalion made its first active duty training deployment to the Construction Battalion Center at Davisville, R. I., in October 1961, with emphasis on organization and some construction projects were also undertaken and completed.

In March 1963, the battalion made its second deployment - to Camp Geiger at the U. S. Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, N. C. During this period, battalion personnel received their first defensive military training.

The detailed unit history of RNMCB 20 is unavailable. Refer to the history of the SIXTH NCR.