Seabees Killed in Action
The following pages will honor and remember the service and events surrounding the men and women killed in-action while in service to our country. We ask that you pause and give thanks for the people who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom while serving with the U.S. Navy Seabees and Civil Engineer Corps. These individuals epitomize the definition of selfless service. Join us in expressing our collective gratitude and appreciation for those service members and their families.
Killed in Action (KIA) is an official Department of Defense term used to describe battle or hostile casualties or those who are killed outright in the presence of the enemy or die of wounds or other injuries before reaching any medical treatment facility. Only those officially designated as Killed in Action are listed.
PKIA means presumed killed in action. This term is used when personnel are lost in battle, initially listed missing in action (MIA), but after not being found, are later presumed to have not survived. This is typical of naval battles or engagements on other hostile environments where recovering bodies is not always possible. Several Seabees were presumed killed in action during WWII due to expeditionary invasions, bombings, or ordnance explosions. They were later declared presumed dead/killed in action. There are no Seabees currently designated as Missing in Action (MIA).
The US Navy Seabee Museum staff used images or certificates available online or in our collection for each person, but we are still missing images and need better, non-pixilated images for many Seabees. If family or friends would like to send use a better photograph to update the image, please forward to NHHC-USNSMreference@us.navy.mil.
Fair Winds and Following Seas, Seabee
