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. Gene DiGiacomo

At the age of 24 Gene DiGiacomo was notified by his draft board that he was being called
into service. After looking into all his options he was told that he was eligible for the Navy
Seabees Petty Officer Program.

In September 1969 he enlisted in the Seabees and was sent to Gulfport Mississippi for
military training. After six weeks of “boot camp” and a series of written tests he was sent to
leadership school. The successful completion of leadership school was mandatory in order
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for him to receive his 2 Class Petty Officer rank.

Shortly after that he was assigned the Mobile Construction Battalion (MCB) 8 stationed at
Port Heuneme, California. During his time with this unit he completed his military training
and qualified for “C” school. This schooling and training brought him to the Los Padres
Mountain Reserve where he learned how to drill for water in rough terrain.

Following the successful completion of “C” school he was ordered to Vietnam where he was
assigned to the Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 301. During his 13 month
tour he found himself being dispatched to all parts of Vietnam.

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His first assignment was with the 3 Marine Division in Quang Tri at a newly constructed
water treatment plant. There he worked with two other Seabees maintaining the plant on-
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line servicing the 3 Marine Division in Quang Tri. Several months later he was reassigned
to Cua Viet where he once again maintained and serviced another water purification unit.
Again after a few months and his work completed he was brought back to Quang Tri where
he received orders to be assigned to a Navy support unit in the Tay Ninh Province. This
Advanced Tactical Support Base (ATSB), along with five others, were placed in strategical
areas along the Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay rivers with the objective of stopping the
NVA from entering Vietnam. The ATSB he was assigned to was on the banks of the Vam
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Co Tay and behind the village of Ben Keo. This was also where the 594 Riverine Division
River Patrol Boats (PBRs) were stationed.

He spent the rest of his tour in Vietnam. During that time, he was put in charge of camp
security and the construction of defensive bunkers. In May 1970 he completed his tour in
Vietnam and was sent home.

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