On a cold and windy day in December 2009 the new Museum building arrived. Packed on over a dozen skids, the two tons of steel have been safely stored in a warehouse just a few miles from the Museum. Ground breaking for the foundations will take place in the spring. Although we have raised the money needed to build the "shell", we still need additional funds to complete the interior.

Former Seabee and Corresponding Secretary, Steven W. MacCaffrie, 65, died October 17^th following an extended illness. He used his knowledge as an engineer and construction supervisor to guide and direct the development of the Museum and was frank with his opinions. He was a key motivator in the museum’s current drive to build a main museum building. MacCaffrie was a proud Navy Seabee veteran of the Vietnam War serving in Delta Company of Mobile Construction Battalion ONE THIRTY THREE. He was active in SVA and in his community. For his full obituary, click HERE. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be  made to the Museum Building Fund.

On September 5, 2009 a group of college freshmen and their Site Leaders from Providence College spent a day at the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park. It was part of the college's freshmen orientation Building Bridges, Day of Service program. The mission is to encourage college students to continue to serve the community while they are enrolled at Providence College and beyond. Teams of students fanned out across the state to help non-profits and municipalities. At the Museum they painted, did lawn work, cut grass and began a retaining wall along our service drive. The Museum was pleased to be a Community Partner and is grateful for this assistance. We hope the students got to appreciate Seabee heritage during their stay.

On August.18, 2009, the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park lost a great friend and loyal supporter: Richard A. "Fess" Parker, EQCM,  USN (Ret.). Fess, 74, was born in Arizona. He served for 32 years in the US Navy Seabees and retired as Command Master Chief. After retiring from the Navy, he worked at Electric Boat for 15 years. He was a past National Commander of the Seabee Veterans of America and a 40-year member and Past President of the Fleet Reserve Association, Branch 42. He was a plank owner of Island X1, Davisville, Rhode Island. Fess was a driving force in the creation of the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorial contributions be made to the Museum.

On July 31, 2009, over 200 people gathered to observe the dedication a memorial to the Fallen Seabees of the Gulf Wars on the grounds of the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park. Centered on a 50-foot flagpole, a memorial wall includes a plaque for each of the Seabees killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The first flag was raised, lowered, folded and presented to Frank and Sharon Toner or Narragansett, RI, whose son LT (jg) Francis Toner IV, was killed in March 2009 in Afghanistan when a militant dressed as a Afghan police offer opened fire.

A second flag was then raised while MU2 Christopher Ferris of the US Navy Band Northeast played taps.

The new memorial was made possible by Quonset Development Corporation that donated the pole that originally served as the regimental flag pole of the 27th NCR when they were home ported at Davisville; Commodore Joe Albanese, 7th NCR, who arranged for the services of members of NMCB 27 (Res) and as president of a Massachusetts construction company provided most of the material.

In recognition of his key role, Commodore Albanese was presented with a RI State Proclamation that read: "The Rhode Island House of Representatives hereby extends appreciation to men and women of the 7th Naval Construction Regiment, Newport, Rhode Island and Mobile Construction Battalion 27, Brunswick, Maine in recognition of their efforts to create a public memorial at the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park in North Kingstown, Rhode Island to honor the memory of the men and women of the U.S. Navy Seabees who gave their lives in defense of freedom during the Gulf Wars."

Speakers included RI Treasurer Frank Caprio, who praised the work of the Seabees who daily put their lives on the line to protect American freedom. Col. Larry Gallogly, 143rd Airlift Wing Commander for the RI National Guard that is stationed at the nearby Quonset Point Airport, is the son of a WW-II Seabee. He said, "I wonder if my father would ever know how much the Seabees have helped me and thousands of other soldiers. He’s smiling down now."

Keynote speaker Rear Admiral Scott A. Weikert, Deputy Commander of the FIRST Naval Construction Division; spoke about the current role of Seabees throughout the world. "It’s easy to forget that we are a country at war," said Weikert, and that many have plans for the weekend, "plans made without consideration to a ‘ruthless’ enemy whose only objective is to kill every American. So let’s take a moment and thank those Seabees and soldiers for letting us still be able to make those weekend plans."