The Gallaghers of Ballinrobe

Above, a photo from the history of the Seabees' 95th
Battalion identifies Uncle Pat as one of those digging up
confiscated enemy paint on Roi-Namur in the Marshall
Islands. At right, Uncle Pat, in the foreground, takes a
seat on a captured Japanese gun in the Marshall Islands.
his Navy uniform as part of 6th Platoon, Company C, 95th
Naval Construction Battalion. When he entered the service
April 16, 1942, he was a 6-foot, 175-pound man of muscle
with gray eyes and black hair.
He was 32 years old when he joined the Seabees,
who were initially made up of skilled laborers who
volunteered to serve. Men were given advanced rank and
pay based upon experience, making the Seabees among the
highest-paid in the U.S. military. The average age was 37.
When some men as old as 60 were able to join despite an
age limit of 50, a presidential order ended voluntary
enlistments. The new Selective Service process resulted in
younger recruits with only basic skills.
Uncle Pat’s foreign service in the Pacific Theater
lasted from Oct. 20, 1943, to July 30, 1945. As he was
preparing to embark, maybe from California or Hawaii, he
received the news he had become a father. Uncle Pat and
Aunt Catherine were blessed with their daughter, Mary
Kathryn, in 1943. Uncle Pat had to be informed by
telegram, simply addressed to the Fleet Post Office (FPO)
in San Francisco, as the family did not know exactly where
he was stationed at the time. Mary Kathryn was born in
what came to be known as Albert Einstein Hospital in
North Philadelphia, even though her mom was living in
West Philly. In 1943, the hospital was simply known as the
Jewish Hospital.
One of Uncle Pat’s first stops overseas was Roi-
Namur in the Marshall Islands. The Marshall Islands
campaign included a series of battles fought from
November 1943 through February 1944. As the Marshalls
were taken, the Seabees built naval bases, fortifications and
airfields on the various islands to prepare for an assault on
the Marianas. One picture from those times shows Uncle
Pat sitting playfully with two others on a captured Japanese
gun. Another shows him unearthing a cache of Japanese
paint as part of a group that includes the 95th’s commander,
William L. Johnson.
His next stop was Iwo Jima. That battle raged
from Feb. 19 until March 26, 1945. Though ultimately
victorious, the American victory came at a terrible price.
According to the official Navy Department Library website,
“The 36-day assault resulted in more than 26,000 American
casualties, including 6,800 dead.” Again, the Seabees
worked alongside the marines clearing jungle and building
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