Looking for information on U.S. Navy SeaBee and Bring Back Helmet

[Martin C]

I like the box as much as i like the helmet, both are very cool!

Mart

[MichaelB]

Hi Martin-
I can't disagree with you. The box is most interesting: the stamps are stapled to the underlying wood and the address labels are secured into place with adhesive tape. Mr. Hubbard went to a lot of trouble to make sure that the helmet was decorated nicely and then properly packaged for his friend or family member back here in the States. I hope that I have some definitive information on his demise here shortyly.

MichaelB

[MichaelB]

It appears that I found my 17th NCB veteran and the "story" might be a bit more interesting than the actual history. When I purchased this Japanese bring back helmet, I was told that the CB veteran who sent it home may have been killed in the Pacific, having never returned home. Cursory search of the basic online data bases found nothing other than a few hits on a Robert L. Hubbard, although no link to the 17th CB's.
I finally sourced an archivist through the U.S. Navy whose primary assignment is researching U.S. Navy SeaBee personnel. She was most helpful, although she initially drew a big fat "goose egg" when beginning the search for Hubbard. After about a week she wrote to say that Hubbard did not die on Saipan. In fact, there was no one by the name of R. L. Hubbard in the 17th CB's to die on Saipan.
Again, a bit later she wrote to say that "Richard Lee Hubbard" was in the 17th CB''s, beginning with his enlistment in November of 1942 and ending with his transfer back to the U.S. in September of 1945. So that was it. Hubbard had enlisted in the Navy and then proceeded to travel about the Pacific with the 17th through most its major combat operations (Saipan, Okinawa). He sent the helmet back to the States as a gift to a friend of his who was a volunteer fireman in Ohio. (I actually found more information on the friend than I did on Hubbard!)
It feels good to finally bring this one to an end. Hope you guys enjoyed the chase along with me!

MichaelB

[AZPhil]

This has been an interesting one Michael.. So since Mr Hubbard made it home do you know if he is still with us or has he since passed?

Semper Fi
Phil

[MichaelB]

Hi Phil-
I was told that Mr. Hubbard passed sometime around 2004. What a heck of an interesting time he had. He and his unit was involved in making some great history in the Pacific and he lived to tell the tale!

MichaelB