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Island MCB 7 At Large 
Mobile Construction Battalion Seven History :: Caicos
On 20 October 1957 Detachment INDIA left Davisville C.B.C., Rhode Island,
for Grand Turk Island in the West Indies and San Salvador Island in the
Bahamas to construct tent camps, galley and mess halls, and offices and
shops. Detachment INDIA installed water and power systems and built
the rock crushers and the batch plants. During this period of time
survey teams were airlifted to the islands for preconstruction information.
A second advance team was airlifted 3 January 1958 to San Salvador and
Grand Turk Islands.
The Battalion departed Davisville C.B.C., Rhode Island, 11 February
1958 through 12 April 1958 for San Salvador and Grand Turk Islands in several
movements by LST. The efforts on South Caicos Island began at this
time with the construction of an airstrip and creation of an access road.
On Grand Turk Island the Battalion constructed nineteen buildings with
new sewage disposal systems, fresh and salt water systems, and electrical
and communication systems. The men repaved seven miles of existing
road and built a 35,000 square foot concrete water catchment area.
Also constructed was a 112-foot water tower.
On San Salvador Island the Battalion constructed nineteen buildings
with new sewage disposal systems, fresh and salt water systems, and electrical
and communication systems. The men constructed a 108-foot water tower
and two steel structures. They built four miles of road. At
the U S Coast Guard LORAN Station the Battalion constructed three buildings
with sewer and water systems, electrical systems, and a steel antenna.
On South Caicos Island the Battalion constructed seven miles of new
road, an airstrip and three buildings with sewer systems, water systems
and electrical systems. The men built two water storage tanks and
a concrete water catchment area to serve the new U S Coast Guard LORAN
Station. They built a steel antenna. The U S Coast Guard provided
transportation of men and materials to this island by Cutter, LCM, and
by aircraft.
On 30 September 1959 the Battalion returned to Davisville C.B.C., Rhode
Island, after constructing 42 buildings, five steel structures, fifteen
miles of road, and sixteen acres of concrete water catchment area.
This completed the largest construction project by a single Battalion and
the longest deployment of peacetime Atlantic Seabees.
A footnote: On 20 February 1962, after orbiting the earth three times
in a Freedom Seven space capsule, Astronaut John Glenn was taken to Grand
Turk Island for debriefing.
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