Museum Collection: The Legacy of Seaman First Class Edwin H. Duke

The Legacy of Seaman First Class Edwin H. Duke

On display in our collection is the Navy blue jumper of Seaman First Class Edwin H. Duke of the 8th Naval Construction Battalion—a reminder of the quiet, gritty work that built the foundations of Allied victory in the Pacific.

Duke enlisted in the U.S. Navy on October 31, 1942, and quickly found himself part of the newly created Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the “Seabees.” Unlike traditional sailors, Seabees were trained both as builders and fighters—expected to construct airfields, roads, depots, and bases while under fire, and to pick up rifles when needed. Their motto, “We Build, We Fight,” captured the dual nature of their mission.

With the 8th Naval Construction Battalion, Duke deployed to Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands campaign, where Seabees braved cold and isolation to carve out the infrastructure needed to push back against Japanese advances in the North Pacific. From there, his path carried him to New Guinea, where Seabees hacked through jungle and mud to build vital airstrips and supply bases that supported General MacArthur’s island-hopping campaign. In the Marianas, their work transformed Saipan and Tinian into forward operating hubs for the B-29 bombers that would eventually bring the war to Japan’s doorstep.

Duke’s service culminated at Iwo Jima, where Seabees worked under fire to construct airfields and repair runways even as the battle raged around them. Their efforts allowed damaged bombers returning from raids over Japan to land safely—saving thousands of American airmen. The Seabees’ ability to turn devastated volcanic terrain into functioning airfields was a critical factor in the final phase of the war.

After World War II, Duke was discharged in January 1946. But his commitment to service didn’t end there. He later joined the U.S. Army and deployed once again—this time to Korea with the 1st Cavalry Division—continuing a tradition of duty across two wars.

Today, his uniform and photographs are displayed together, telling the story not just of one man, but of the Seabees as a whole: men who fought with shovels, hammers, and rifles, and whose work quite literally built the road to victory.