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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-03901 to 363-03908.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-03901 to 363-03908
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Title
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Seabees news release about Christian Service Society
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Description
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Original title: "Seabees Help Christian Service Society in RVN." A Seabee news release about the Christian Service Society (CSS), including photos of CSS activities. Seabees news release 12-67 (16)
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Date
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1967
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Subject
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United States. Navy. Seabees; United States. Navy; Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Press releases; Christian Service Society
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Location
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Da Nang, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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16.0545; 108.0717
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Container
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B65, F12
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Format
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press releases
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Collection Number
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MS 363
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Collection Title
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Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
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Creator
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United States. Navy. Seabees
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Collector
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Copyright Information
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These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
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Publisher
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Archives & Special Collections
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Language
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English
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extracted text
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UNITED STATES NAVY
CONSTRUCTION BA TT ALIONS
SEABEES IN ACTION
"CONSTRUIMUS, BATUIMUS - WE BUILD, WE FIGHT"
"CAN DO!"
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE
MOBILE CONSTRUCTION BATTALION SEVENTY-FOUR
Fleet Post Office San Francisco 96601
Release/No. 12-67 (16)
3 July 1967
Official U.S. Navy News Release
For Immediate Release
SEABEES HELP CHRISTIAN SERVICE SOCIETY IN RVN
Ten sewing machines, two and one-half acres of land, a second-hand minibus,
an ice cream machine and a dream.
These things are what the Vietnamese Christian
Service Society of DaNang has to work with, and U. S. Naval Mobile Construction
Battalion Seventy-Four, which is currently serving in the Republic of Vietnam,
is doing its best to help fulfill their dream.
The Christian Service Society is a society which was founded by, is administered by, and operated by a group of Vietnamese Protestants, whose major
project is to provide for the physical well-being and progress of the Vietnamese people of DaNang.
The Society owns two and one-half acres of ground at Bae Sa, which is
five miles north of DaNang. On this ground they plan to construct and maintain
an inpatient clinic; a home for the aged, blind, and crippled; a ~elfare center
for refugees; and a health school for youngsters and teenagers, where they will
be taught the necessity and means for personal hygiene.
Because of the non-denominational nature of the wouk done by the Society,
the land they are going to use for their center was donated to them by the Buddhist village of Hoa Khanh. This cooperation between the Buddhist and Christian
factions of Vietnam, marks a sharp change from the bitter rivalry that existed
just a few years ago.
A construction project of this magnitude requires money, not only for the
initial building period, but for maintenance, operation and expansion. U.S.
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Seventy-Four is lending a hand to help this
organization to raise money.
-more-
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY • NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING COMMAND • WASHINGTON, D. C. 20390
The ten sewing machines that the Society now possesses, were given t o
them by MCB-74, as part of the Battalion's Civic Action Program. These machines,
which the Battalion brought with them from their home-port, Gulfport, Miss.,
were collected for the Battalion by the Christian Reformed Church of Grand
Rapids, Mich.
MCB-74's Chaplain, LT Herbert L. Bergsma, who was the former pastor of
the Christian Reformed Church, took possession of the sewing machines in behalf
of the Battalion. Chaplain Bergsma was also the man who delivered the machines
to the Christian Service Society in DaNang.
The Society plans to use the sewing machines to set up a sewing center
where they can teach the people to use the machines, and at the same time manufacture goods that can b e sold. The money they make from the sale of these
goods will go toward the construction of the Ba e Sa Center.
Two other sources o f r evenue a re currently being utilized by the Society
to increase their building fund . They use a converte d minibus as a taxi in
DaNang, and have invested in an ice cream machi ne o The Society expects the
ice cream machine to be their big money maker , making about 100,000 piastres
(approx. $850.00) per day o
This project is a perfect examp l e of how the indu strious Vietnamese can
and will produce with some exter nal support a nd the Seabees o f MCB-74 will
continue the necessary supp or t of this worthwh ile program.
-30-
DEAR EDITOR: We Seabees hope you can us e this copy and we would appreciat e
a tear sheet mailed to:
Public Aff a ir s Offi ce 09D2
Yards & Docks Annex 2B- 35
Washing t on , D. C. 2039 0
Vicmtu.ayies6 1~@lt1 l';tt,y bf;l :.1~1.Pllt ct-i: :£il~1kt.t,i:,r~,~ hir.,: thi?>ir r.1t.,;;.·C?i..:gth
al.'ld spir.i t i::, .ama:;~1,~g... :\'h~ 1.1t,:m c,~1:n;yir~g th,:, ~1cwin~ 51:tH.::7:d.,.z e,
c:lu:.r:hig tl1~ tra2tsfe~:- of. t'h,~ m.r1chl:-:1,;iti f:n,m ~K~tJ-7 4 t., thu
Chx·istiall S~rJJi.c,, :1ociet:1-· .. ; 1:;.1J,,,dt:rat~,;rn .~ :U,1,rh~g ~:·ta".A1r.le of
t.hah: :gt.r(.::n,;f'th .,
-~
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• :!--■
I ....
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Many 'Viet.n.m.ut:~~ p~plt: gathered t.o ¼t-atcb the transte:c of
the sewing machines from MC.."13-74 • I:! tI·M.~k t.o the Chriet.ian
Service c--oeiet.y Sewiug Ce1't~
~
iet:namo
i.n D&Nang" Republic of
Although Chaplain Bergsma 0 s name is misspelled on the sign.
the message CO\'ttes across loud and clearo
