▁the ▁facilities ▁at ▁Mid way ▁were ▁completed ▁in ▁time ▁to ▁play ▁a ▁strateg ic ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁n avy ' s ▁first ▁significant ▁victory ▁over ▁Japanese ▁forces . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁requirements ▁for ▁advanced ▁bases ▁str ung ▁throughout ▁the ▁Pacific ▁called ▁for ▁construction ▁cre ws ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁drop ▁their ▁tools ▁and ▁take ▁up ▁weapons ▁at ▁a ▁moment ' s ▁notice . ▁More ell ▁believed ▁a ▁militar ized ▁Naval ▁Const ruction ▁Force ▁to ▁build ▁advance ▁bases ▁in ▁the ▁war ▁zone ▁would ▁ful fill ▁this ▁need . ▁On ▁December ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁he ▁requested ▁authority ▁from ▁the ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Navigation ▁to ▁rec ruit ▁men ▁from ▁the ▁construction ▁tr ades ▁for ▁assignment ▁to ▁a ▁Naval ▁Const ruction ▁Regiment ▁composed ▁of ▁three ▁Naval ▁Const ruction ▁Batt al ions ; ▁the ▁Bureau ▁granted ▁the ▁request ▁on ▁January ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁On ▁March ▁ 5 , ▁permission ▁was ▁granted ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁batt al ions ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁name ▁" Se abe es ". ▁More ell ▁co ined ▁the ▁Se abe es ▁mot to : ▁Const ru im us , ▁B atu im us ▁( Lat in ▁for ▁" We ▁Build , ▁We ▁Fight ." ). ▁ ▁More ell ' s ▁Civil ▁Engine er ▁Corps ▁was ▁given ▁command ▁authority ▁over ▁what ▁would ▁become ▁an ▁organization ▁of ▁ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁that ▁built ▁$ 1 0 ▁billion ▁worth ▁of ▁facilities ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁war ▁effort