Visitors Find an Arsenal of Attractions at Seabee Summerfest

Dwarfed by the enormous green construction vehicles arrayed behind them, about 350 Navy Seabees paraded with precision across the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center blacktop Saturday.

Decked out in their pristine dress whites, the seven companies--trained in engineering, construction and combat--delighted a crowd of about 7,000 visitors as they kicked off the weekend-long Seabee Summerfest.

The construction battalion’s annual open house will continue from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, with 7,000 more visitors expected.

Saturday’s crowd, momentarily subdued by patchy skies and several speeches, snapped to attention as a soldier atop a cruising Humvee dispatched deafening rounds of blanks from a machine gun to end the parade with a bang.

“That was really loud,” said Katie Hambrock, whose father is the base’s commanding officer.

While 11-year-old Katie eyed this year’s carnival rides, her father was busy greeting visitors. “We want this to be something for the community to enjoy, so they can see what we do and ask us questions about our profession,” Capt. Daniel Hambrock said.

The pair quickly joined other Seabees and visitors who scattered to enjoy the festival, which resembled a cross between a county fair, rock concert and military trade show. As The Executives’ version of “Don’t Worry Baby” blared across the festival grounds, children and adults descended upon an arsenal of Navy firepower, including M-16s, grenade launchers, mortar cannons, sniper rifles and shotguns.

Maureen Swann needed a little help aiming a rocket launcher that was bigger than both her arms put together. “Are there smaller guns for smaller people?” the 23-year-old Camarillo resident asked.

“No, but you can always compensate,” replied Kevin White of Oxnard, a reserve construction engineer who was demonstrating aiming techniques while staffing the popular gun display.

The arsenal is an important feature for the Seabees, who are trained in combat as well as building. “They have to be able to put down a hammer and pick up a machine gun,” said base spokeswoman Linda Wadley.

Formed in 1941, the Naval Construction Battalion recruited members--popularly called Seabees--from the civilian building trades. More than 325,000 Seabees served in World War II, building airstrips, warehouses, hospitals and housing. There was no Summerfest in 1990 because the Seabees had shipped out to the Persian Gulf War.

The Port Hueneme base is one of two Seabee stations in the United States--the other is in Gulfport, Miss. There are 3,000 Seabees at the Port Hueneme base, out of a total of 9,500 active-duty personnel.

One veteran in attendance Saturday knows well the reality of war. Sheldon Empol, a 76-year-old ex-GI from Newbury Park, was honored at the opening ceremony with the Purple Heart he earned for being wounded and surviving brutal conditions during World War II.

But the focus of the event was not just the military. The festival also included family entertainment and recreation.

On the northeast corner of the base’s expansive asphalt parade grounds, a crowd assembled to watch a group of teenagers compete fiercely in a skateboard ramp competition.

“I haven’t seen the skateboarding here before,” said 27-year-old Lucinda Davis of Oxnard. “This thing really has something for everyone,” said Davis, who was at the festival with her sister and two young daughters.

Other attractions included a display of custom motorcycles, carnival games, karaoke and pet look-alike contests.

But for many, the gargantuan green trucks held the most allure. “I got up here slowly but surely,” said 11-year-old Jason Abrahamson of Camarillo as he sat in a bulldozer perched 30 feet above the ground, on a transport truck whose tires were taller than the excited youth.

“This thing’s huge!”

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FYI

The Seabee Summerfest continues from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, with the carnival open until 9 p.m. Admission and parking are free, and shuttle service to and from the parking lots is provided. The U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center is in Port Hueneme at Sunkist Street and Ventura Road.