Seabees memorial to be unveiled Saturday in Mounds

Mound City National Cemetery in Mounds, Illinois, will unveil a new memorial Saturday honoring the efforts of the U.S. Navy Seabees.

U.S. Marines Col. Thomas Harold Goessman will speak at the event.

Goessman, who has served in the Enemy Prisoner of War Office, U.S. Central Command and the Jungle Warfare Training Center, also served several deployments, including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The Seabees are a hybrid unit of the U.S. Navy largely responsible for construction projects. The memorial will be one of 50 — for each state in the U.S. The Seabees were formed during World War II and have conducted special operations in conflicts as recently as current campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

All active and former Seabees are invited to attend the free event, which begins at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.