Seabees gather for 78th birthday celebration at veterans memorial in Perryville

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — A local veterans group celebrated the 78th anniversary of the Seabees with a birthday celebration Saturday morning at the Missouri’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Perryville.

A hybrid of the Navy and Marine branches of the military, the Seabees are the naval Construction Battalion that has been involved in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Prior to the celebration, the Island 5 veterans chapter conducted a “Bee Swarm” meeting, at which Seabee veteran James Eddleman was honored with a gift: A Montana Diamond Willow wood cane with stag antler handle created by Mic Thompson, a fellow Seabee in Montana.

Tom Meyer, vice commander of Island 5 veterans group, read the names of 85 Seabee veterans listed on the Missouri’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial. He led the group in a salute and moment of silence for the individuals who lost their lives in service.

The group then moved into the Seabee’s 78th birthday celebration with the cutting of a cake decorated with yellow and blue icing, with a Seabee bumblebee on the top. Per tradition, the oldest Seabee, Penny “P.M.” Kurre, 85, and youngest, Kevin Farris, 28, were honored with cutting the first slice.

Kurre said he entered into the Seabees in early 1952 after previously serving in the Navy. From equipment operator to electrician, he said he was able to experience a variety of jobs while part of the Seabees

“We did a little bit of everything in the Seabees, and it worked well,” he said. He retired in 1991 as command master chief and came home to own a business in Jackson, and is now fully retired.

His daughter, R. Penny Kurre, was the only female Seabee present Saturday. She said she served several years herself in the Seabees, including two years in Sicily, but said she “has been in the Seabees my whole life” due to her father’s service.

Before members enjoyed the birthday cake, however, Seabees in the room were asked to stand and share a few details about their service.

As the veterans spoke about their experiences, it could be observed many members shared a common thread on their shirts, jackets and sweatshirts: a logo of a small but determined bee with the motto “Can do!”

“It means we can get the job done,” Kurre said of the Seabees’ motto on the clothing. “Anything in the world, we can do it.”