CROWDS CELEBRATE SOLDIER-BUILDERS ON SEABEE DAYS.Byline: Jason Kandel Staff Writer Hundreds of residents flocked to Naval Base A naval base primarily for support of the forces afloat, contiguous to a port or anchorage, consisting of activities or facilities for which the Navy has operating responsibilities, together with interior lines of communications and the minimum surrounding area necessary for local Ventura County-Port Hueneme on Saturday for the annual Seabee Days, honoring the Navy's construction battalions on Armed Forces Day weekend. Children clambered over Humvees, rode carnival rides and feasted on cotton candy and other festival food as blues musicians Performers in the blues style range from primitive, one-chord Delta players to big bands to country music to rock and roll to classical music. Early country blues
Festival goers watched as soldiers in battle dress uniform Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) in the United States was the standard military uniform worn into combat, battledress as opposed to 'display' dress uniforms worn at parades and functions. BDUs may be either plain fatigues or in camouflage colors. rappelled down a 30-foot watch tower erected by Seabees before the event. First Class Petty Officer Patrick Posey, 31, said he enjoys being a Seabee. He has traveled around the world and has been posted in Kuwait during the Iraq war Iraq War: see under Persian Gulf Wars. Iraq War or Second Persian Gulf War Brief conflict in 2003 between Iraq and a combined force of troops largely from the U.S. and Great Britain; and a subsequent U.S. . Posey, currently on shore duty, was at the event Saturday to try to help give the public a better understanding about Seabees. When people think of soldiers, he said, they think of infantry troops with guns. ``They don't see the behind the scenes,'' he said. ``This is the stuff that we build so those guys you do see on TV have someplace some·place adv. & n. Somewhere: "I didn't care where I was from so long as it was someplace else" Garrison Keillor. See Usage Note at everyplace. somewhat comfortable to stay and have a place to sleep.'' Johnny Apvan, 50, a Navy veteran from 1976-1982, said the Seabees are amazing. ``To me, they're just as brave as the combat troops,'' he said. ``A lot of times, they're right there with the Marines.'' As part of the event - which continues today - the Navy also is displaying the machinery that is required to haul most materials to a war - huge green, diesel-powered Cats, wreckers wreckers Noun, pl NZ a business which sells material from demolished cars or buildings , heavy tow trucks and scrapers. Brad Meyer, 52, an eighth-grade teacher in the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley , was impressed. ``This tow truck is amazing,'' he said. ``Or, it could be a crane. Incredible.'' Joe Saucedo, 56, of Port Hueneme Port Hueneme (wī'nē`mē), city (1990 pop. 20,319), Ventura co., S Calif., on the Pacific coast; founded 1870, inc. 1948. It has an artificial deep-sea harbor and is the site of a huge naval construction-battalion (Seabee) center. and his girlfriend watched an arm- wrestling competition unfold under the shade of a tarp. The former Marine said he attends the event as a way to show support for his fellow soldiers. ``These guys build bridges and stuff that we blow up,'' he said with a hearty laugh. ``They're doing a good job. I'm proud of those kids.'' Howe Meador, 86, a World War II veteran, rode with his best friend Joe Wolf For the football player of the same name see Joe Wolf (football player). Joseph (Joe) James Wolf (born December 17 1964 in Kohler, Wisconsin) is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. , 48, from San Diego to the event to show off their mini-museum of World War II memorabilia. ``I enjoy it. I like it all. I like the parade, especially, and talking to people,'' he said. ``One guy asked if I knew Audie Murphy. I said, 'Yeah.' I talked to him (the actor who was WWII's most decorated soldier) two or three different times. He was an ordinary cat, had that southern drawl drawl v. drawled, drawl·ing, drawls v.intr. To speak with lengthened or drawn-out vowels. v.tr. from Texas.'' For Wolf, 48, from Poway, getting to participate in the event was an honor. The veteran Seabee was stationed at Naval Base Ventura County in the 1970s. ``This is where I trained, went to builders' school,'' he said. ``I never dreamed someday I'd own all this World War II stuff and come back here and display it.''Jason Kandel, (818) 713-3664 jason.kandel(at)dailynews.com IF YOU GO Seabee Days will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the Naval Base Ventura County-Port Hueneme. Guests must enter through the Victoria Avenue and Patterson Road gates. For information, call (805) 982-6000 or visit dailynews.com. CAPTION(S): 4 photos, box Photo: (1) Todd Emmerling shows Kody Hofteig, 7, a grenade launcher Saturday at the Seabee Days celebration in Port Hueneme. (2 -- 4) Willy Nunez, 11, left, a Navy cadet, and his sister Tanya, a Sea cadet instructor, enjoy one of the carnival rides, above. Below left, Jonas Ricasata salutes his Navy dad, Chief Ariel Ricasata. Right, Jenna Sanchez, in nautical attire, has her hat adjusted by grandmother Annie Chavez. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News Box: IF YOU GO (see text) |
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