The King Bee

"Ben Moreell was the first non-Naval Academy graduate to be awarded the four stars of an Admiral. He is still the only staff corps officer to be promoted to Admiral. Immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he began forming the U.S. Navy Seabees. Their success in World War II was recognized by Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz in a Seabee birthday anniversary letter to Moreel in which he stated, "...without them we could not have beaten the Japs." An advisor to four Presidents, Ben Moreell's actions forever placed the Civil Engineer Corps and the Navy Seabees solid in Navy history and tradition."--p. [4] of cover.