Have you seen THE FIGHTING SEABEES (1944)?

A morale-boosting tribute to the US Navy's Construction Battalions who followed behind the troops invading Pacific islands held by the Japanese to build runways, roads and bridges. Wedge Donovan is the civilian head of a construction company approached by the Navy to train their men as specialists. Instead, the impetuous Donovan wants to prove his crew are up to the job, but they are shot up by the Japanese.