As soon as Bob turned seventeen he headed back east and joined the U.S. Navy. His electrician's experience made him an ideal candidate for the newly formed USN Construction Battalion. In January 1942 Bob shipped out to Bora Bora with 295 of his mates; they were the very first Seabees. His battalion spent part of the war as part of the 22nd Marines and saw action in the Marshall Islands. He reenlisted in the Navy after the war and subsequently was shipped back out to the South Pacific. He served on the U.S.S. Gunston Hall (LSD-5) and took part in Operation Crossroads in the Bikini Atoll.
