U.S. Navy Seabees in the Pacific, 1944: Building the Runways That Won the War

In the Pacific Theater of World War II, victory was not decided by infantry and aircraft alone. It was built—quite literally—by men with shovels, bulldozers, and an unbreakable will. On newly captured islands scattered across the vast Pacific in 1944, U.S. Navy Seabees of Naval Construction Battalions labored under brutal, primitive conditions to construct frontline airstrips that would push American airpower ever closer to Japan. These men did not always fight with rifles, but they fought just as fiercely—against jungle, heat, disease, time, and an enemy who knew exactly how valuable their work was.

The Seabees’ mission was simple in concept and staggering in execution: land with or shortly after assault troops, clear ground that barely resembled land at all, and build a functional airstrip—often in days, sometimes in hours—so American aircraft could operate from the front lines. Without these airfields, fighters could not provide cover, bombers could not strike, and wounded men could not be evacuated. The Seabees were the quiet force that turned captured islands into unsinkable aircraft carriers.

We Build, We Fight”: The Seabee Identity

The U.S. Navy Seabees were officially established in 1942, born from the urgent need for skilled construction units capable of operating in combat zones. Unlike traditional construction workers, Seabees were trained as both builders and fighters. Their motto—“We Build, We Fight”—was not symbolic. It was literal.

By 1944, Naval Construction Battalions were landing across the Pacific alongside Marines and Army units. Many Seabees were carpenters, engineers, mechanics, electricians, or heavy equipment operators in civilian life. In uniform, they became combat engineers who could lay steel matting under fire, repair bombed runways at night, and defend their worksites with rifles and machine guns when necessary.

They were not rear-echelon troops. On newly captured islands, the front line and the construction site were often the same place.

The Battlefield: Newly Captured Islands

The islands seized by U.S. forces in 1944 were rarely hospitable. Many were little more than coral reefs, swamps, volcanic rock, or dense jungle. There were no roads. No infrastructure. No stable ground. What existed had usually been cratered by naval bombardment and aerial bombing.

Seabees arrived to find:

Mud so deep vehicles sank instantly

Coral so sharp it shredded tires and boots

Jungles infested with insects, snakes, and disease

Constant rain or blistering heat

Unexploded ordnance everywhere

And often, enemy snipers still nearby.

Yet within days, sometimes less than a week, these same islands would host operational airstrips capable of supporting fighters, dive bombers, and transport aircraft.

Speed Was Survival

In the Pacific, speed saved lives. The faster an airstrip could be built, the sooner American aircraft could operate from it. That meant:

Immediate close air support for ground troops

Fighter cover against enemy counterattacks

Rapid medical evacuation of wounded

Supply flights bringing ammunition, food, and medicine

Seabees often began construction while fighting was still ongoing. Bulldozers moved earth while Marines exchanged fire only hundreds of yards away. Engineers worked through the night under blackout conditions, guided by flashlights taped to helmets or the dim glow of shielded lamps.

Every hour mattered. Delay meant more casualties.

Building Under Fire

Japanese forces understood the importance of airfields and targeted Seabee worksites whenever possible. Artillery, mortar fire, and air raids were constant threats. Construction crews learned to drop tools and dive for cover instantly—then return to work minutes later.

Many Seabees were killed or wounded while building runways. Others fought off enemy infiltrators who attempted nighttime sabotage. It was not uncommon for Seabees to man defensive positions by night and resume construction at dawn.

They built knowing the enemy was watching.

They built anyway.

The Tools That Changed the War

Seabees brought industrial power to the jungle. Bulldozers, graders, rollers, cranes, and trucks—machines never meant for tropical combat—became weapons of war in their own right.

One of the most revolutionary tools was Marston Matting, perforated steel planking that could be laid quickly over unstable ground. Seabees used it to create runways almost overnight, allowing aircraft to land on surfaces that would otherwise be impossible.

With these tools, Seabees transformed chaos into capability.

The First Aircraft Landing

There was no greater reward than seeing the first aircraft touch down on a runway that had been jungle, swamp, or rubble just days before. Pilots often landed while construction was still ongoing, sometimes dodging machinery or landing on partially completed strips.

For ground troops, that moment meant:

Air cover overhead

Reinforcements arriving

A lifeline back to safety

For the Seabees, it meant success—but never rest. Another strip, another island, another impossible deadline always waited.

Brotherhood in Extreme Conditions

Life for Seabees was harsh. They slept in tents or foxholes. They ate C-rations for weeks. Malaria, dysentery, and exhaustion were constant threats. Yet morale remained high, driven by pride in their mission and loyalty to each other.

They took pride in building something tangible amid destruction. When others advanced and moved on, Seabees left behind runways, hospitals, docks, and roads—permanent marks of progress carved into hostile land.

Many joked they could “build an airfield anywhere,” and in 1944, that wasn’t far from the truth.

Strategic Impact Across the Pacific

Every major advance in the Pacific depended on Seabee-built airfields. From the Central Pacific drive through the Marshalls and Marianas to operations supporting the Philippines and beyond, airstrips built under primitive conditions allowed the U.S. to leapfrog island chains and isolate enemy strongholds.

Without Seabees:

Long-range bombers could not advance

Fighter escorts would be limited

Amphibious assaults would be far deadlier

Medical evacuation would slow dramatically

The Pacific war was won not just by firepower, but by logistics—and the Seabees were its backbone.

Unsung Heroes of Victory

Unlike pilots or frontline infantry, Seabees rarely appeared in headlines. They did not rack up aerial victories or storm beaches with cameras rolling. Yet generals knew their value. So did the troops who depended on the airstrips they built.

When asked what they did in the war, many Seabees simply said,
“We built what was needed.”

That understatement defines them perfectly.

Legacy of the Seabees

Today, the legacy of the World War II Seabees lives on in every Naval Construction Battalion. Their methods, spirit, and motto remain unchanged. Modern Seabees still deploy to combat zones, disaster areas, and austere environments—building under pressure, often in danger, always on deadline.

But it was in places like those newly captured Pacific islands in 1944 that the legend was forged.

Men with no illusions.

No glory.

No safety.

Just tools, teamwork, and an unshakable belief that the runway they finished today might save lives tomorrow.

Conclusion

The story of U.S. Navy Seabees building frontline airstrips under primitive conditions in the Pacific Theater is a story of quiet heroism. It is the story of men who turned raw earth into strategic advantage, who worked under fire so others could fight from the sky, and who proved that war is not won by weapons alone—but by those who build the foundations beneath them.

In 1944, on islands the world barely knew existed, the Seabees changed the course of history one runway at a time.