Barometer Mountain & 79th
Seabee Barracks, Aleutian Islands, World War II. This graphic was made from an
original oil painting of the original photograph taken by 79th Battn. photographer E.
McDermott and placed here in his honor.
The above painting appears in the 79th
Seabees Cruise Book that was started while the 79th was in the Aleutians and sent out to
just the original 79th group about 3 or 4 years after they were discharged.
According to veteran recollections, the money used for the book and photos came from the
ship store proceeds on the first tour of duty. The replacement men came and went so
fast while the 79th was on Okinawa that probably no mailing list was ever made of the new
men. Supposedly, the money realized from the sales on Okinawa seemed to fade into
the sunset when the 79th Battalion was decommissioned after the war ended.
