History

NMCB-25 was commissioned in September 1942 (then called the 25th Naval Construction Battalion), at Camp Bradford, VA, the same year in which the Seabees were established. The first Seabees in this battalion underwent training at Camp Allen, VA. Shortly after its commissioning and initial training, the battalion moved to Port Hueneme, CA and again to Camp Elliott, San Diego, CA where it attached to the 3rd Battalion, Nineteenth Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force.

During World War Two, the battalion served under the command of U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur and participated in many key events including building a hospital at Somoa, building an airfield at Guadalcanal, building roads and bridges at Bouganvillein and helped recapture the island of Guam from Japanese invasion. NMCB-25 is the only unit with the distinction of serving under the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.

In June 1945, the battalion moved back to the United States and was detached from the Marine Corps, falling under the control of the 27th Naval Construction Regiment of the 5th Naval Construction Brigade. The battalion was deactivated the following November.

In October of 1961, NMCB-Two Five was reborn in Davisville, RI and is now one of twelve Naval Mobile Construction Battalions in the Naval Reserve.

NMCB-25 was selected as the Pacific Fleet’s Best of Type Reserve Naval Construction Battalion for fiscal years 1996, 1998, and 2005. NMCB-25 also was presented the Admiral Perry Award in FY 96 for being selected as the best Seabee Construction Battalion of both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets.