Welcome to Bedtime History. Hello, this is Breck.

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Close your eyes and imagine standing on a small, tropical island many years ago.

The sun is shining, the ocean is bright blue, and palm trees sway in the warm breeze.

But this island is not a vacation spot yet.

There are no roads, no airfields, and no buildings.

The ground is rough and uneven, covered with thick plants and mud.

Plains cannot land here yet, and ships cannot easily dock. A group of determined workers

steps onto the shore carrying tools, plans, and big ideas. These workers are the Navy C-Bs, and their

job is to build what others need to move forward. The Navy C-Bs were a special group formed during World War II. Their name

came from the letters C and B, which stood for Construction Battalion. They were engineers, builders,

carpenters, electricians, and problem solvers. Their motto was, we build, we fight. This meant they were trained to use tools

and machines, but they also knew how to work safely in difficult environments. Before the

CBs were created, construction workers helping the military did not always have the protection they needed.

Leaders realized they needed skilled builders

who could also operate in challenging situations.

In 1942, the CBs were officially formed

and thousands of volunteers joined.

Many had already worked as construction workers,

mechanics, or engineers in everyday life.

The CBEs traveled to many parts of the world, especially across islands in the Pacific

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