Original U.S. WWII Naval Construction 11th Battalion Seabees Hand-Painted Unit Sign - 8 x 10”

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a gorgeous eye-appealing hand-painted unit sign for the 11th Battalion, Seabees. United States Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Navy Seabees, form the U.S. Naval Construction Forces (NCF). The Seabee nickname is a heterograph of the initial letters "CB" from the words "Construction Battalion". Depending upon context, "Seabee" can refer to all enlisted personnel in the USN's occupational field 13 (OF-13), all personnel in the Naval Construction Force (NCF), or Construction Battalion. Seabees serve both in and outside the NCF. During World War II they were plank-holders of both the Naval Combat Demolition Units and the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs). The men in the NCF considered these units to be "Seabee". In addition, Seabees served as elements of Cubs, Lions, Acorns and the United States Marine Corps. They also provided the manpower for the top secret CWS Flame Tank Group. Today the Seabees have many special task assignments starting with Camp David and the Naval Support Unit at the Department of State. Seabees serve under both Commanders of the Naval Surface Forces Atlantic/Pacific fleets as well as on many base Public Works and USN diving commands.

The sign measures 8 x 10” and appears to be a painted piece of paper attached to a piece of cardboard. There is some damage and loss as shown with a large hole at the left edge next to the insignia and tearing along the bottom and top edges. The paper is detached from the left side but will look phenomenal in a frame. The artwork is top notch for the period and depicts the Sea Bee with his Submachine gun, wrench, and hammer. There is a signature at the bottom right but it is too worn to discern.

Comes ready to frame and display!

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11 (NMCB 11) is a United States Navy Construction Battalion, otherwise known as a Seabee Battalion, presently home-ported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center (Gulfport, Mississippi). The unit was formed during World War II as the 11th Naval Construction Battalion at Camp Allen on 28 June 1942. On 1 July, she moved to the new Seabee base Camp Bradford. Seabee battalions were numbered sequentially in the order they were stood up. The battalion lost one man during the war to a construction accident. The 11th CB was inactivated on 1 December 1945, at Subic Bay, Philippines.