Ward in the Seabees - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Tankeryanker · 12-26-2020, 04:02 PM

Any idea why they wrote Ward in the Seabees instead of a regular branch of the military?

stevea · 12-26-2020, 05:37 PM

Just a guess but could Beaumont himself have done that during the war?

Tankeryanker · 12-26-2020, 05:38 PM

Could be that he did. It also worked for the storyline that Ward did not have to go to Beavers class and tell them what a hero he was. I thought it was interesting that they used the seabees.

Torgo · 12-26-2020, 06:01 PM

Seemed to fit what Ward was good at given his engineering background, maybe in college he was learning to be a Civil Engineer.

TSMIV · 12-26-2020, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tankeryanker

Any idea why they wrote Ward in the Seabees instead of a regular branch of the military?

The Seabees are part of the Navy. It's a play on "c.b." for construction battalion.

stevea · 12-26-2020, 10:47 PM

He did talk about that engineering background early on--interesting he ended up in that marketing or similar job. We don't know exactly what the job is but it's pretty safe to say it's not any kind of engineering.

Tankeryanker · 12-26-2020, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSMIV

The Seabees are part of the Navy. It's a play on "c.b." for construction battalion.

Sure, but it's the kinder, gentler part of the Navy.

I was wondering if there was a reason to give Ward a softer background. It's not like Ward saw frontline combat...

TSMIV · 12-27-2020, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Sure, but it's the kinder, gentler part of the Navy.

Lol! Very few in the Navy see "frontline combat", but I wouldn't call any part of the US Navy "kind or gentle". The Marines and Army infantry are ground combat troops, but the Seabees arrive with or before "The First to Fight" Marines.

Tankeryanker · 12-27-2020, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSMIV

Lol! Very few in the Navy see "frontline combat", but I wouldn't call any part of the US Navy "kind or gentle". The Marines and Army infantry are ground combat troops, but the Seabees arrive with or before "The First to Fight" Marines.

Exactly and they seem to have chosen not to have Ward on the frontline. They could have written him in any branch of the military doing any part of it.

GentlemanJim · 12-27-2020, 03:05 PM

Seabees is "perfect casting" for Ward, IMO.

The Seabees I've known personally have all been cut from pretty much the same cloth.....a little too civilized to put in the trenches, likely going to marry the debutante after his stint in the service is up, so they keep him "safe" from harms way.
That's not to say he doesn't perform a valuable function, nor face danger...but it's a different kind of danger.

Or to put it another way, not the kind of guy you expect to back you up in a bar fight.

Tankeryanker · 12-27-2020, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GentlemanJim

Or to put it another way, not the kind of guy you expect to back you up in a bar fight.

First of all, Ward would not have been in a bar. Maybe in a cocktail lounge in a fancy restaurant or night club.

Second, if you were the type to get in scrapes, would you really be hanging around Ward, or more exactly, would Ward be hanging around you?

So you are probably right, but only because the fight never would have happened.

GentlemanJim · 12-27-2020, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tankeryanker

Second, if you were the type to get in scrapes, would you really be hanging around Ward, or more exactly, would Ward be hanging around you?

Oh I don't know that I'd be near as sure of that as you seem to be. "White knight" actions happen all the time.

The scenario I had in mind would be something similar to the confrontation in TAGS episode "Barney mends a broken heart". Where Barney lips-off to the bully, and then sits back and watches Andy get a black eye trying to defend them all.

Tankeryanker · 12-27-2020, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GentlemanJim

Oh I don't know that I'd be near as sure of that as you seem to be. "White knight" actions happen all the time.

The scenario I had in mind would be something similar to the confrontation in TAGS episode "Barney mends a broken heart". Where Barney lips-off to the bully, and then sits back and watches Andy get a black eye trying to defend them all.

Andy and Barney are out in all types of the public where Ward would not be. Ward doesn't have to put up with a Barney type. He does put up with Fred who is similar to Barney, but not exact.

White Knights are more for rescuing women than men.

GentlemanJim · 12-27-2020, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tankeryanker

Andy and Barney are out in all types of the public where Ward would not be.

Ward doesn't have to put up with a Barney type. He does put up with Fred who is similar to Barney, but not exact.

(1) Somehow I suspect that the environment Ward might encounter half way around the world while fighting a world war would be considerably less "starched and pressed" than the Currier and Ives fantasy you seem to favor for him.

(2) In the example I drew a comparison to earlier, Barney was the one who could not be counted upon to back up Andy when confronted with a bully. So, of course our gentleman Seabee would NOT have to put up with "Barney" SINCE IT IS WARD who couldn't be counted upon for back up.

GentlemanJim · 12-27-2020, 08:57 PM

Let's not forget, Barney crossed the waves to do his part and fight the dreaded Huns.
I believe he was a librarian on Staten Island?

12-26-2020, 04:02 PM	#1
Tankeryanker Do you like my monkey picture? Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 22, 2014 Posts: 3,051	Ward in the Seabees Any idea why they wrote Ward in the Seabees instead of a regular branch of the military?

12-26-2020, 06:01 PM	#4
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,038	Seemed to fit what Ward was good at given his engineering background, maybe in college he was learning to be a Civil Engineer.
	__________________ "I'm going to go do something productive. I'm gonna go watch television." - Ray Peterson, The 'burbs "I am the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and Fries." - Stephen King "There's nothing wrong with G-rated movies, as long as there's lots of sex and violence." - Elvira

12-26-2020, 05:37 PM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,942	Just a guess but could Beaumont himself have done that during the war?

12-26-2020, 05:38 PM	#3
Tankeryanker Do you like my monkey picture? Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 22, 2014 Posts: 3,051	Could be that he did. It also worked for the storyline that Ward did not have to go to Beavers class and tell them what a hero he was. I thought it was interesting that they used the seabees.

12-26-2020, 10:47 PM	#6
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,942	He did talk about that engineering background early on--interesting he ended up in that marketing or similar job. We don't know exactly what the job is but it's pretty safe to say it's not any kind of engineering.

12-27-2020, 03:05 PM	#10
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	Seabees is "perfect casting" for Ward, IMO. The Seabees I've known personally have all been cut from pretty much the same cloth.....a little too civilized to put in the trenches, likely going to marry the debutante after his stint in the service is up, so they keep him "safe" from harms way. That's not to say he doesn't perform a valuable function, nor face danger...but it's a different kind of danger. Or to put it another way, not the kind of guy you expect to back you up in a bar fight.

12-27-2020, 08:57 PM	#15
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	Let's not forget, Barney crossed the waves to do his part and fight the dreaded Huns. I believe he was a librarian on Staten Island?