Multimedia Presentations

The Nation's Largest Homeland Disaster During WWII

On July 17, 1944, the evening was marked by a sudden and devastating event. Residents in the East Bay Area were roused from their slumber by a massive explosion that lit up the night sky. Meanwhile, at Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were loading ammunition for the Pacific theater troops. But as they worked, disaster struck. The munitions ships suddenly exploded, sending shockwaves through the night.

In an instant, 320 men lost their lives in the explosion.

On October 28th, 2009, the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial was officially dedicated as the 392nd unit of the National Park Service. The tragedy of Port Chicago serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who served in World War II.

Documentary: Into Forgetfulness

Please enjoy this educational and informative documentary about the Port Chicago Disaster. You can watch the video in high-definition by clicking on the 'HD' at the bottom right of the video and then select the 'Broadband' option.

 

Open Transcript  Open Descriptive Transcript

Transcript

In our lives, there are moments…events…usually lasting a very short time, that result in irreversible change. As a people, we have a need to memorialize these events so that future generations will know and remember. July 17th, 1944, at 10:17 pm, a peaceful, quiet California summer night thousands of miles from the fighting of World War II, an event took place. In one explosive moment, 320 men vanished. And in the rubble, the way the military and America treated its citizens, began to change. Most of the black sailors stationed at Port Chicago had enlisted hoping to fight the enemy. Unable to serve on the front lines, they found themselves doing dangerous manual labor. Munitions manufactured around the country would arrive at Port Chicago daily by train. As a transit site, not a storage site, the cargo had to be unloaded as rapidly as possible. It was the job of the black enlisted sailors to manually transfer the munitions from the rail cars to large cargo ships. With war raging in the Pacific, victory depended on rapid delivery of munitions, and the sailors of Port Chicago were proud of their crucial link in the delivery process. Ignoring standard safety practices, two ships were loaded at one pier. The work proceeded 24 hours a day. All the sailors handling cargo were black. All the officers in charge were white. Competition was encouraged by the officers. Loading rates for each division were posted. Loading rates for each division were posted, and incentives were awarded. Slower divisions were shamed and threatened. Officers and sailors cut corners to save time. Many people warned: the fast pace of the work, the huge volume of munitions being moved, loading two ships on one pier, and the lack of proper training, proper safety procedures, would lead to disaster. Two explosions, 6 seconds apart, ignited the night sky with a column of fire and steel rising 2 miles. The first blast was fairly small. The second, incinerated two ships, the pier, 16 rail cars…320 men. The survivors were in shock. Friends had disappeared without a trace. Next time…it would be them. On August 9th, 300 black sailors were ordered back to work loading munitions. Continued lack of training, unsafe working conditions, lack of any official explanation. Everyone believed another explosion would happen. The benefits of Navy life no longer outweighed the extreme danger of the work.” Any order but that…” “Any order but that…” After a peaceful confrontation, over 250 black sailors were arrested. The sailors were given the opportunity to put the so-called uprising behind them and return to work. About 200 reluctantly agreed but were instead thrown in the brig. The 50 remaining black enlisted sailors who refused to load munitions were charged with mutiny-- In time of war, punishable by death. On October 24th, 1944, the specially convened military court found all 50 men guilty of mutiny as charged. All were sentenced 8 to 15 years in prison, and dishonorable discharge from the Navy. Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial was established to honor the courage and commitment of the sailors, Marines, National Guardsmen, Merchant Marines, and civilians killed and injured in the largest homeland disaster during WWII. The Memorial recognizes the critical role they and the survivors of the explosion played in the winning of the War in the Pacific. The explosion and its aftermath was a major catalyst that helped persuade the U.S. Military to begin the long journey to racial justice and equality. Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial will ensure the story of these brave men is not lost into forgetfulness.

Descriptive Transcript

 00:00 - 00:10

Visual:

- The video opens with a scene of moving water and a damaged pier in the foreground.

- Text appears on the screen: "Port Chicago Disaster."

Audio Description:

- "The video begins with footage of calm, moving water. A damaged pier stands in the foreground, partially submerged. Text on screen reads: Port Chicago Disaster."

 00:10 - 00:20

Visual:

- The scene changes to a historical black-and-white photograph of African American sailors working on a dock beside a large ship.

Audio Description:

- "A historical black-and-white photograph shows African American sailors working diligently on a dock beside a large ship."

 00:20 - 00:30

Visual:

- A black-and-white photograph of the explosion's aftermath at Port Chicago, showing debris and damaged structures.

Audio Description:

- "The screen displays a black-and-white photograph depicting the aftermath of the Port Chicago explosion. Debris and damaged structures are scattered across the area."

 00:30 - 00:40

Visual:

- A still image of a typed report, partially visible, detailing the events of the Port Chicago disaster.

Audio Description:

- "A close-up of a typed report partially visible, detailing the events surrounding the Port Chicago disaster."

 00:40 - 00:50

Visual:

- A close-up of a memorial plaque dedicated to the victims of the Port Chicago explosion.

Audio Description:

- "A close-up of a memorial plaque dedicated to the victims of the Port Chicago explosion, with engraved names and dates."

 00:50 - 01:00

Visual:

- A black-and-white photograph of a group of sailors standing at attention during a ceremony.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph shows a group of sailors standing at attention during a formal ceremony."

 01:00 - 01:10

Visual:

- A handwritten letter from a sailor to his family, describing the conditions and work at Port Chicago.

Audio Description:

- "A still image of a handwritten letter from a sailor to his family, describing the harsh conditions and demanding work at Port Chicago."

 01:10 - 01:20

Visual:

- An old newspaper clipping with the headline "Port Chicago Explosion Kills Hundreds."

Audio Description:

- "An old newspaper clipping appears on screen with the bold headline: Port Chicago Explosion Kills Hundreds."

 01:20 - 01:30

Visual:

- A modern-day color photograph of the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, showing the entrance sign.

Audio Description:

- "A modern-day color photograph of the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial shows the entrance sign under a clear blue sky."

 01:30 - 01:40

Visual:

- A group of visitors at the memorial site, with the remnants of the port visible in the background.

Audio Description:

- "A group of visitors are seen at the memorial site, with the remnants of the old port visible in the background."

 01:40 - 01:50

Visual:

- A black-and-white photograph of a damaged ship at the dock with smoke rising in the background.

Audio Description:

- "The screen displays a black-and-white photograph of a damaged ship docked, with thick smoke rising in the background."

 01:50 - 02:00

Visual:

- A historical document with the Port Chicago incident report, partially visible.

Audio Description:

- "A still image of a historical document partially visible, showing the incident report for the Port Chicago disaster."

 02:00 - 02:10

Visual:

- A plaque listing the names of the sailors who perished in the Port Chicago disaster.

Audio Description:

- "A plaque lists the names of the sailors who tragically lost their lives in the Port Chicago disaster."

 02:10 - 02:20

Visual:

- A group of sailors receiving awards for their bravery during the Port Chicago explosion.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph captures a moment where a group of sailors are receiving awards for their bravery during the explosion."

 02:20 - 02:30

Visual:

- The damaged port facilities with twisted metal and scattered debris.

Audio Description:

- "The video shows the damaged port facilities, with twisted metal and scattered debris indicating the magnitude of the explosion."

 02:30 - 02:40

Visual:

- A modern-day view of the Port Chicago Memorial with informational signs.

Audio Description:

- "A modern-day view of the Port Chicago Memorial reveals informational signs detailing the site's history."

 02:40 - 02:50

Visual:

- A color photograph of the Port Chicago Memorial with a wreath laid at the base during a remembrance ceremony.

Audio Description:

- "A color photograph shows a wreath laid at the base of the Port Chicago Memorial during a remembrance ceremony."

 02:50 - 03:00

Visual:

- An informational display inside the memorial visitor center.

Audio Description:

- "A still image of an informational display inside the memorial visitor center provides historical context for visitors."

 03:00 - 03:10

Visual:

- A black-and-white photograph of sailors loading ammunition onto a ship at the Port Chicago dock.

Audio Description:

- "The screen shows a black-and-white photograph of sailors loading ammunition onto a ship at the Port Chicago dock."

 03:10 - 03:20

Visual:

- A historical marker describing the events of the Port Chicago explosion.

Audio Description:

- "A still image of a historical marker provides a detailed description of the events leading to the Port Chicago explosion."

 03:20 - 03:30

Visual:

- A photograph of a group of visitors listening to a tour guide at the memorial site.

Audio Description:

- "A group of visitors listens attentively to a tour guide at the Port Chicago memorial site."

 03:30 - 03:40

Visual:

- An old newspaper article with the headline "Court-Martial of Port Chicago Sailors."

Audio Description:

- "An old newspaper article appears with the headline: Court-Martial of Port Chicago Sailors."

 03:40 - 03:50

Visual:

- A group of sailors in formation during a memorial service at Port Chicago.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph shows sailors in formation during a solemn memorial service at Port Chicago."

 03:50 - 04:00

Visual:

- A close-up of a sailor's uniform from the World War II era, displayed at the visitor center.

Audio Description:

- "A close-up of a sailor's World War II era uniform, displayed prominently at the visitor center."

 04:00 - 04:10

Visual:

- A color photograph of the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial entrance.

Audio Description:

- "A color photograph captures the entrance of the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial."

 04:10 - 04:20

Visual:

- A detailed map of the Port Chicago area during World War II.

Audio Description:

- "A detailed map of the Port Chicago area during World War II shows strategic locations and key points of interest."

 04:20 - 04:30

Visual:

- The devastated port area immediately after the explosion.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph depicts the devastated port area immediately after the explosion, with rubble and destruction visible."

 04:30 - 04:40

Visual:

- An award citation given to a sailor for his actions during the Port Chicago disaster.

Audio Description:

- "A close-up of an award citation given to a sailor for his commendable actions during the Port Chicago disaster."

 04:40 - 04:50

Visual:

- The Port Chicago Memorial site with the American flag at half-mast.

Audio Description:

- "A color photograph of the Port Chicago Memorial site shows the American flag at half-mast, honoring those lost."

 04:50 - 05:00

Visual:

- A historical letter detailing the impact of the Port Chicago explosion on the local community.

Audio Description:

- "A handwritten letter details the significant impact of the Port Chicago explosion on the local community."

 05:00 - 05:10

Visual:

- The Port Chicago Memorial during a sunny day, with visitors walking around.

Audio Description:

- "A sunny day at the Port Chicago Memorial, with visitors walking and reflecting at the site."

 05:10 - 05:20

Visual:

- A list of names of the sailors who died in the explosion, engraved on a plaque.

Audio Description:

- "A plaque displays the engraved names of the sailors who perished in the Port Chicago explosion."

 05:20 - 05:30

Visual:

- The aftermath of the explosion with rescue workers on site.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph shows rescue workers on site amidst the aftermath of the explosion."

 05:30 - 05:40

Visual:

- An old military order related to the Port Chicago operations.

Audio Description:

- "A still image of an old military order related to the operations at Port Chicago."

 05:40 - 05:50

Visual:

- A modern-day commemorative event at the Port Chicago Memorial, with people gathered around.

Audio Description:

- "A modern-day commemorative event at the Port Chicago Memorial, with a large crowd in attendance."

 05:50 - 06:00

Visual:

- A historical photograph showing sailors handling ammunition at the dock.

Audio Description:

- "A historical photograph shows sailors handling ammunition at the Port Chicago dock."

 06:00 - 06:10

Visual:

- The Port Chicago Memorial at dusk, with lights illuminating the site.

Audio Description:

- "A photograph of the Port Chicago Memorial at dusk, beautifully illuminated by lights."

 06:10 - 06:20

Visual:

- A close-up of the memorial plaque with engraved names and dates.

Audio Description:

- "A close-up of the memorial plaque shows engraved names and dates, honoring those who died."

 06:20 - 06:30

Visual:

- A military tribunal related to the Port Chicago mutiny.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph shows a military tribunal convened for the Port Chicago mutiny."

 06:30 - 06:40

Visual:

- An educational display inside the visitor center, explaining the history of Port Chicago.

Audio Description:

- "An educational display inside the visitor center provides an in-depth explanation of Port Chicago's history."

 06:40 - 06:50

Visual:

- A wreath-laying ceremony at the Port Chicago Memorial.

Audio Description:

- "A photograph captures a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Port Chicago Memorial."

 06:50 - 07:00

Visual:

- A historical document with signatures of the sailors involved in the incident.

Audio Description:

- "A close-up of a historical document shows the signatures of sailors involved in the Port Chicago incident."

 07:00 - 07:10

Visual:

- The explosion site with military personnel surveying the damage.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph shows military personnel surveying the extensive damage at the explosion site."

 07:10 - 07:20

Visual:

- A modern informational plaque at the memorial site, detailing the explosion's impact.

Audio Description:

- "A modern informational plaque at the memorial site details the significant impact of the explosion."

 07:20 - 07:30

Visual:

- The Port Chicago Memorial with flowers and tributes laid at the base.

Audio Description:

- "A color photograph shows flowers and tributes laid at the base of the Port Chicago Memorial."

 07:30 - 07:40

Visual:

- A historical photo showing the loading of munitions at the Port Chicago dock.

Audio Description:

- "A historical photo shows sailors loading munitions at the Port Chicago dock."

 07:40 - 07:50

Visual:

- A commemorative event at the Port Chicago Memorial with a large crowd in attendance.

Audio Description:

- "A photograph of a commemorative event at the Port Chicago Memorial, with a large crowd gathered."

 07:50 - 08:00

Visual:

- A close-up of a sailor's diary entry from the time of the explosion.

Audio Description:

- "A close-up of a sailor's diary entry provides a personal account of the explosion."

 08:00 - 08:10

Visual:

- The damaged port with rescue efforts underway.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph shows the damaged port with rescue efforts actively underway."

 08:10 - 08:20

Visual:

- A newspaper headline reporting the court-martial of the sailors involved in the Port Chicago mutiny.

Audio Description:

- "A newspaper headline reports on the court-martial of sailors involved in the Port Chicago mutiny."

 08:20 - 08:30

Visual:

- The Port Chicago Memorial during an anniversary event, with people paying their respects.

Audio Description:

- "A color photograph shows people paying their respects at the Port Chicago Memorial during an anniversary event."

 08:30 - 08:40

Visual:

- A letter from a sailor to his family, describing the explosion and its aftermath.

Audio Description:

- "A handwritten letter from a sailor to his family describes the explosion and its devastating aftermath."

 08:40 - 08:50

Visual:

- A group of sailors at Port Chicago, standing beside a large ship.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph shows a group of sailors standing beside a large ship at Port Chicago."

 08:50 - 09:00

Visual:

- A historical document listing the charges against the sailors in the Port Chicago mutiny trial.

Audio Description:

- "A still image of a historical document lists the charges against the sailors involved in the Port Chicago mutiny trial."

 09:00 - 09:10

Visual:

- The Port Chicago Memorial with visitors exploring the site.

Audio Description:

- "A color photograph shows visitors exploring the Port Chicago Memorial site on a clear day."

 09:10 - 09:20

Visual:

- A map of the Port Chicago area with marked points of interest.

Audio Description:

- "A detailed map of the Port Chicago area shows marked points of interest from the World War II era."

 09:20 - 09:30

Visual:

- A memorial service held at the Port Chicago site shortly after the explosion.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph captures a memorial service held at the Port Chicago site shortly after the explosion."

 09:30 - 09:40

Visual:

- An educational poster displayed at the visitor center, highlighting the significance of the Port Chicago disaster.

Audio Description:

- "An educational poster at the visitor center highlights the historical significance of the Port Chicago disaster."

 09:40 - 09:50

Visual:

- The Port Chicago Memorial at sunrise, with the first light hitting the plaques.

Audio Description:

- "A color photograph of the Port Chicago Memorial at sunrise, with the first light illuminating the plaques."

 09:50 - 10:00

Visual:

- A close-up of an artifact from the explosion, displayed at the visitor center.

Audio Description:

- "A close-up of an artifact from the Port Chicago explosion is displayed prominently at the visitor center."

 10:00 - 10:10

Visual:

- The Port Chicago site with a damaged ship in the foreground.

Audio Description:

- "A black-and-white photograph shows the Port Chicago site with a heavily damaged ship in the foreground."

 10:10 - 10:20

Visual:

- A modern-day informational sign at the memorial, detailing the explosion's impact.

Audio Description:

- "A modern-day informational sign at the memorial details the explosion's impact and historical significance."

 10:20 - 10:30

Visual:

- A group of visitors at the Port Chicago Memorial, with a tour guide explaining the site.

Audio Description:

- "A group of visitors is shown at the Port Chicago Memorial, listening to a tour guide explain the site's history."

 10:30 - 10:40

Visual:

- The final scene of the video, with text thanking viewers for remembering the Port Chicago disaster and its significance.

Audio Description:

- "The final scene shows text thanking viewers for remembering the Port Chicago disaster and recognizing its historical significance."

Duration:

10 minutes, 40 seconds

A documentary about the Port Chicago disaster.

 

Podcast-The Port Chicago 50: An Oral History

In 1995 Dan Collison spoke with five survivors of the blast about what really happened. (20 minutes) Credit: Long Haul Productions.

The story of the worst stateside disaster during World War II, at Port Chicago, an ammunition dump for the navy just north of San Francisco. Black workers were assigned to load ammo onto ships under such unsafe conditions that on July 17, 1944, two ships blew up, killing 320 men. When 50 survivors of the blast refused to return to work under the same unsafe conditions, they were court-martialed and sentenced to up to 15 years of hard labor. There have been many attempts to clear the names of these fifty men, including one in 1944 by then-civil rights attorney Thurgood Marshall.

 

• Podcast: The Port Chicago 50: An Oral History

  
  

  Credit: Long Haul Productions.

  Date created:

  10/14/2020

  Audio Transcript

  KCRW presents: The Port Chicago 50: An Oral History.

  (music)

  Our story is about the worst state-side disaster of World War Two. It’s also about loyalty - to one’s country and to one’s  self. And it’s about  the meaning of heroism.

  It begins in the San Francisco Bay Area, at a place called Port Chicago. Now called the Concord Naval Weapons Station, Port Chicago was an American munitions depot during World War Two.

  At the time, a lot of other things were happening. Allied forces were making major advances in Europe and the Pacific. So, the story got crowded out of the headlines. But what happened at Port Chicago  is still being felt today. It would eventually lead to desegregation  of the armed forces... and would forever change the lives of 50 men.

  (music fades)

  On July 17th, 1944, a massive explosion flattened the Port Chicago Depot and shook the entire San Francisco Bay area. Some people thought it was an earthquake. Others feared an enemy attack. It was neither. The source of the blast was two "Liberty" ships that were docked at Port Chicago. One of the ships was fully loaded with ammunition. The other was in the process of being loaded. They both exploded with the force of nuclear bombs that would be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki a year later.

  320 men were killed, 390 injured. A majority of the casualties were African-American sailors who had the job of loading ammunition onto the ships at Port Chicago.

  The United States Navy was never able to determine the cause of the explosion but a Navy Court of Inquiry indirectly blamed the black sailors.

  The court concluded, quote, "The colored enlisted personnel are neither temperamentally nor intellectually capable of handling high explosives." End quote.

  Shortly after the explosion, the black munitions loaders who survived were transferred to a nearby base and ordered back to work. Shaken by the death of their workmates and afraid that another explosion might occur, 50 men refused. They were all court martialed, convicted of mutiny and sentenced to up to 15 years of hard labor.

  When the war ended, their sentences were suspended as part of a general amnesty. The men returned to civilian life and most tried to put what happened at Port Chicago behind them.

  There have been efforts to clear the names of the Port Chicago 50, all unsuccessful. The first attempt was made in the fall of 1944 by a young NAACP attorney named Thurgood Marshall. Marshall, who went on to serve as the first African-American on the United States Supreme Court, argued that racism played a large part in the mutiny convictions. All the officers at Port Chicago and all seven members of the Navy court martial were white.

  The Navy has made it a policy not to discuss the Port Chicago case except to say that it stands by a three page statement released in January of 1994. That statement, which followed a review of the case ordered by Congress, said, quote, "racial discrimination did play a part in the assignment of African-American sailors to load ammunition (at Port Chicago), and that African-American sailors were subjected to segregated living and working conditions." End quote.

  However, the Navy refused to exonerate the sailors concluding that, quote, "racial prejudice and discrimination played no part in the court martial convictions or sentences, and that there was nothing unfair or unjust in the final outcome of any of the Port Chicago court martials." End quote.

  None of the commanding officers at Port Chicago are alive today. None of the members of the Navy court martial are alive today. The only living history of Port Chicago are the black sailors.

  You are about to hear from five of them; Albert Williams, Freddie Meeks, Joseph  Small, Percy Robinson and Robert Routh  (rhymes with mouth). They are all in their early to mid 70's, and one of them, Percy Robinson, is a little hard to understand at times because of throat surgery, unrelated to Port Chicago.

  This is their story ...of what happened July 17th, 1944... and what has happened since. It was produced by Dan Collison.

  (football play-by-play/archive tape)

  Announcer: We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this important bulletin from the United Press. Flash. Washington. The White House announces Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Stay tuned to WOR for further developments which will be broadcast immediately as received.

  Robert Routh: Pearl Harbor took place and right after that the Navy opened up the apprenticeship branch to blacks for the first time. So we joined by the hundreds.

  Music: (Big Bill Broonzy) "I believe, I believe, Uncle Sam can use me.”

  Albert Williams: My name is Albert Williams, Junior. I enlisted in Navy, I was young, and back then there wasn't any jobs available for us young black men at that time. And when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor I guess we felt much patriotic to our country, cause this is our country too, and quite a few of us volunteered for the Navy.

  Robert Routh: My name is Robert Routh, Junior. I was 17 years old and had just completed the 8th grade, and I thought my enlistment would help to make the country a better place for us negroes. We didn't use the term blacks in those days.

  MUSIC: (Josh White) "Well, airplanes flyin' cross the land and sea. Everybody flyin' but a Negro like me. Uncle Sam says, 'Your place is on the ground. When I fly my airplanes, don't want no Negro around.' The same thing for the Navy when ships go to sea. All they got is a mess boys job for me. Uncle Sam says, 'Keep on your aprons on. You know I ain't gonna' let you shoot my big Navy gun.'"

  Albert Williams: We was told that we would be stationed on ships. So we envisioned ourselves at sea. I did, because we was trained, we was trained as sailors. I was trained as a gunner's mate. But when they shipped us out of Great Lakes Navy Training our first stop was Port Chicago ammunition dump.

  Freddie Meeks: When I first got to Port Chicago, oh, dumpy lookin' place way back out there in the boon docks. And you was kinda' disappointed to see such a little dumpy lookin' place at that time, because I really wanted to go out on the ship. But they had a lot of ammunition stored there though.

  Navy Film (archive): As the war in the Pacific increased in tempo, the Port Chicago Naval magazine became the largest and busiest on the west coast. Each day trains of high explosives arrived in the classification yards. Here in the magazine area safety precautions were rigidly followed at all times.

  **Freddie Meeks: I don't know, it made you kinda' nervous. You always was uneasy about handlin' all that ammunition. Bombs, torpedoes, whatever.

  ***Robert Routh: We sent everything out of there, from 30.30 rifle cartridges all the way up to 2,000 pound "blockbusters," we called them.

  Percy Robinson: My job basically was to load ammunition with the crew which worked in hole of the ship.

  Freddie Meeks: You be down in the hole. Here come those big bombs and things comin' down the rampway they had built. But sometimes they let it come down too fast and they hit together and they made a loud noise.

  Percy Robinson: You hear this all night long. Boom, BOOM, boom, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.

  Freddie Meeks: And that would almost give you a heart attack. Yeah, you would almost have a heart attack. And so we used to ask 'em sometimes, say, "Is it any danger this ammunition explode?" They say, "Oh no, don't worry about it. Say, "It's not live." Say, "Don't have no detonators in 'em."

  **Albert Williams: We was not trained to load ammunition. We would take ammunition, we'd take a crow bar when we had to go so high, we'd take that crow bar and push that ammunition up there because they told us it would not explode cause it didn't have no detonator in it. We believed that.

  MUSIC: (Josh White) "Got my long government letters, my time to go. When I got to the Army, found the same old Jim Crow. Uncle Sam says, 'Two camps for black and white.' But when trouble starts, we'll all be in that same big fight."

  Percy Robinson: All the loading crews were black. There were no white loading crews.

  Robert Routh: You didn't have a lot of white people that you saw. We only had basically one officer. And he would be the only person white.

  Freddie Meeks: Well, you know the white officers, they didn't have much to do with us no more than to stand around and supervise and see that we load that ammunition.

  Albert Williams: It was pressure. We was told that so much we had to be did that night. We have to do this so much. It was a rush, rush.

  Joe Small: And the division commanders pushed the petty officers to push the men to load as much as they could, as fast as they could. But we knew they were betting, 100 dollars or so that my division will put on more ammunition than your division.

  Percy Robinson: Each one would put up money that their division would outload the other one for those particular shifts, or that particular day. They had day lotteries, week and whole ship lottery.

  Navy Film: Frequently, the urgent need for ammunition forced the depot to load two ships at the same time, at the same pier. So it was on the night of July 17th, 1944. The "Quinalt Victory" and the "E.A. Bryan" were moored at the naval magazine, Port Chicago. 16 cars of ammunition and bombs were spotted on the pier beside the "Quinalt Victory" as the shipped rigged to load. "Bryan" had been loading day and night for more than three days. Three and a half million pounds of explosives were aboard or waiting nearby on the pier. Everything was normal. Until 10:19.

  Robert Routh: It was Monday, a hot July day, and for some reason the day was kind of a day that I felt a great foreboding and I don't know why.

  Percy Robinson: The lights are out at 10 o'clock. So when the lights went out at 10 o'clock, we were all returned to our bunks.

  Robert Routh: I had pimples, you know still bein' a teenager. So nightly I would

  go in and tidy myself up and put on Nozema. And got back to my locker, put my gear away, said my prayers and leapt up, I had a top rack, leapt up in the rack. And here comes the voice  over the intercom system again, "Lights out. Quiet about the deck."

  Percy Robinson: I'm layin' there with my hands behind my head looking out at sky. And at that time, I guess a few minutes after the lights went out, the sky lit up and it's just like the sun rose. Everything was bright. You could see all the buildings for a second.

  Robert Routh: Shortly after that, here come the second explosion filling the sky with all kinds of lights and colors like at a 4th of July celebration.

  Percy Robinson: Then came the concussion. The concussion blew in the window all over my body. My reflection was I put my arms up in front of my eyes. My left arm got mutilated, face, head, neck, shoulders and body got mutilated. That was the first explosion. The second was just a few seconds afterwards. That lifted me out of the bunk. Threw me on the floor.

  Robert Routh: All hell broke loose and it was just a lot of confusion because glass was everywhere and men were, your know, just in fear and some had ran all out in their barefeet and shorts and it was just bedlam.

  Percy Robinson: And you could hear the people now, screaming and yelling, "Get out of the barracks! It's coming down!" So, I myself scuffle, crawl out and took off for the outside.

  Robert Routh: And when there were no other explosions then I crawled out. But then I noticed that I didn't, I couldn't see clearly and that's when I first realized then that I was hurt. And I called to my buddy, "Hey Moss. Come and get me and take me to the sick bay!" And then somebody else holler, "Well, the sick bay has been blown up."

  Percy Robinson: When I got outside, there were a few people outside yelling for volunteers to go down to the docks. I went up to a guy, say, "Yeah, I want to volunteer." He asked me, he said, "Did you see Percy get out of the barracks?" He didn't recognize me. He was my squad leader, cause my face was so mutilated from the blood and guts.

  Robert Routh: The left eye was lacerated so badly that was removed that night. And then the right eye was lacerated and so consequently the right eye eventually lost the sight in that, too. So that was the beginning of the end and caused me to be a blind person.

  News report (archive): In the Pacific war, American battleships, cruisers and destroyers shelled Guam Island on Sunday for the second straight day. Here at home, officials say that 337 persons are known dead or missing and presumed dead, more than 300 others injured as the result of last night's explosion of two ammunition ships at Port Chicago in upper San Francisco Bay. And now General Electric takes you to Washington....

  Albert Williams: First thing I thought, same thing Pearl Harbor again, you know. But that's what it way like. Just like somebody dropped bombs over the whole thing. Didn't look like it was a explosion from one of the ships, ya' know. It look like a plane come down and just bombard the place.

  Navy Film: In the waterfront barracks and administration area, buildings crumpled like cardboard, roofs blown off, walls gone. In the vicinity of the loading piers -- total destruction. Both ships, broken, twisted hulks.

  Freddie Meeks: That was a shockin' thing to see those ships tore up. And see and I was standin' watch over all those dead bodies. I had to stand watch over that. That was my duty. And you couldn't tell one from the others.

  Navy Film: Meantime, the court of inquiry was collecting testimony and exhibits. Experts in all fields were called in to study the area. The cause of the explosion could not be fixed with certainty, but it was suspected that a depth charge was accidently detonated.

  Joe Small: I knew what it was because we were expecting it all the time. We worked with that in mind, that one day that stuff would blow up.

  Freddie Meeks: We felt like we was gettin' a raw deal, because we was the one that was doin' the dirty work. We was the one that foolin' with the ammunition. So why shouldn't we have a leave of absence to get away, to get your nerves settled. But that didn't happen.

  Percy Robinson: I think I was in the hospital maybe, oh, a week. And I think the day after I returned to my outfit, we were ordered to go to work. And I still was bandaged up. Face, arms, my stitches were still in and everything. So we were lined up outside the barracks to go to work. They hadn't told us what we were going to do yet. But then they said, "Forward march."

  Joe Small: I was marching on the outside. I called cadence. Something like this, "Oh, left, oh left, left, right, left. Left, two, three, four, left, right, left." And I believe it was Lt. Delucca said, "Column left!" And when he said "column left" everybody stopped. Because column left meant we were going to the docks and the docks meant loading ammunition.

  Albert Williams: And they give us a ultimatum, "Would you load ammunition?" That's the ultimatum we had. And I told 'em myself, I say, "I am absolutely afraid, which I were. I'm afraid to load ammunition". "You step over there then." Then they call another one of 'em I think he asked him the same thing. "You step over there." And when the end of the day was over I think just about all of us had stepped over there, you know.

  Percy Robinson: Then the admiral came down and explained to us what our responsibilities were.

  Freddie Meeks: He told us, he said, "One thing I wanna' tell ya,' that you could be charged with mutiny if you don't go back to work."

  Joe Small: And he explained at that time, if we refused to go back to work, he could have us shot.

  Freddie Meeks: That was the cue. When he said, "You could be shot," then the fellows went to mumblin.' You know, a lot of people they afraid to die.

  Percy Robinson: And from my upbringing, my mother taught me that if a white man threatened to hang you he would do it at his first legal chance. And she told me about the Klan, and she was brought up in Mississippi. So I believed that they had a legal chance to shoot us. So I was afraid. So I said, "Well, I'm not gonna' give 'em a chance to shoot me. I'll go back to work.

  Freddie Meeks: But then 50 of us decided we wasn't gonna' go back to work. If

  we were goin' get shot, he just had to shoot us, because we wasn't goin' go back and load no more ammunition.

  Albert Williams: That's when we was arrested. I would say arrested because we was all shipped to, I think it was Treasure Island. We was at the stockade. Then we was found out that we was charged with mutiny.

  Freddie Meeks: We didn't commit no mutiny. We didn't take over no ship. We didn't take over a base. We had no weapons. We didn't even have a pen. We only refused to go back to work. Now how could that be mutiny?

  Joe Small: I didn't know anything about mutiny. I just knew that I didn't want to work under the same conditions that I did work under and advance the chance of the same thing happening again.

  Freddie Meeks: Well, the mutiny trial, it's just like a thing that is, it's cut and dry. We all sittin' over here, all the white officers over here. We wasn't allowed to say anything but what they would ask us.

  Albert Williams: They would call us one by one up there to testify. And everybody had almost the same story, maybe that's why they thought we was...but that's the story we told em'. I told 'em the same thing I told 'em then that I told 'em when I was on the docks. That I was afraid of it. And I was afraid.

  Freddie Meeks: You didn't know what was goin' to happen. You was wonderin' what would happen. Was they gonna' have us shot or what.

  Albert Williams: Put it this way: If my mother woulda' took all six of our kids in the room together, mom and dad, and we all had did something. We know we's gonna' get punished. That's what the atmosphere was there. No matter what you say, you gonna' get this whippin.' Whether your right or wrong, somebody did it, you gonna' get whupped by it.

  Joe Small: The verdict was, was guilty. The verdict was guilty as charged. I expected it, from the way that the trial went. Of course, the length of sentence was a surprise.

  Freddie Meeks: The lowest sentence in there I think was eight years. I had 12

  years. And some had 16.

  Albert Williams: Well, I don't know whether I just, I don't even remember cryin' about it. I know I did after I got into prison for awhile. But I just seemed like it was something that was gonna' happen then, after the trial, you know, after you sit in the trial for a few days and you see what's goin' down.

  Newscast (archive): Seven PM Eastern War Time, Bob Trout reporting. The Japanese have accepted our terms fully. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the end of the Second World War. The United Nations, on land, on the sea, in the air and to the four corners of the earth, are united and are victorious.

  Albert Williams: Well, when the war ended, after they had suspended our sentence, they had to release us. We get our discharge.

  Joe Small: My discharge from the Navy prevented me from receiving jobs that I would have received as a civilian. It branded me as a person incapable of following orders.

  Freddie Meeks: I used to couldn't talk about it because it would hurt. It would hurt inside. You didn't want your friends to know that you was in the service and you had been charged with mutiny. You didn't want people to think that you didn't like your country or something that you'd do something like that. This the onliest country we knew about.

  Albert Williams: Not even with the fellows I worked with, I didn't talk with it with my wife or childrens. Every time I would bring it up or even think about it look like I got a hateful feelin' in me, you know, and it would just about tear me apart. I just hated the other race. And the hate was building up, it stayed with me. You know the hate stayed with me. You know hate can really destroy a person. I coulda' been  better father I believe if I hadn't a had that hate. I wasn't abusive or nothin' but I just, things that I didn't talk about, things that I held in, things I think I coulda' did better.

  Music: (Josh White instrumental)

  Freddie Meeks: We can figure we was a hero because we stood up for our right. We stood up because we knew that we did not commit mutiny.

  Albert Williams: I think it was right. I don't know how heroic it is but it was right.

  Joe Small: I was fighting for something. And if you would ask me to put a name on it, I don't know. But things were not right and it was my desire to make things right. I have never felt ashamed of the decisions that I made. I did what I thought was best and I did it in the best way I knew how.

  Freddie Meeks: Yep. Long ways back. Don't seem like it's been 50 years. And it still hangs over us at 50 years.

  Music: Josh White: "If you ask me I think democracy is fine. I mean democracy without the color line. Uncle Sam says, "We'll live the American way. Let's get together and kill Jim Crow today."

  HOST BACK ANNOUNCE: The Port Chicago 50: An Oral History was  produced by Dan Collison. Gary Covino was the editor. Special thanks to Albert Williams, Freddie Meeks, Joseph Small, Percy Robinson and Robert  Routh .

78th Anniversary - Commemoration

Archived from July 16th, 2022
On July 16th, 2022, a commemoration event was held at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial. Here, you can view clips from the event.

 

Open Transcript 

Transcript

It is an honor to stand here today on this hallowed ground and reflect on the profound significance of the events that took place 78 years ago. I know some of you are quite familiar with this story. While many of you may be hearing it for the first time. Together, let's revisit the details. Much of this history is not pleasant.

It contains truths that are inconvenient for some and uncomfortable for others. But it is vital that we shine a bright light on these aspects of the past. For they hold lessons that are crucial to forging a new path for the future. As World War Two raged throughout Europe, the U.S. Navy had already identified the need for an additional munitions shipping depot on the West Coast.

Prior to the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7th of 1941. Port Chicago Naval Magazine was formally authorized in February 1942, selected as an ideal location for constructing a new large munitions loading base. This was due to its deep water ports, which is still utilized by the US Army today and also its relative isolation from the surrounding population centers.

Although the small town of Port Chicago was approximately one and a half miles away. With construction completed in November of 1942, Port Chicago Naval Magazine quickly became a vital link in the delivery chain of ordnance to American forces in the Pacific Theater. The original pier was soon widened so that two ships could be loaded simultaneously. Greatly increasing the output of tonnage from the base.

However, all branches of the armed forces were segregated at this time. Although racially integrated forces did fight in the Revolutionary War, the official U.S. military policy of racial segregation was established in the War of 1812. Since then, with a few notable exceptions, such as the Army's famous Buffalo Soldier, Cavalry and infantry units. Up until the start of World War Two, African American soldiers traditionally served as the laborers and menial workers of the American military machine.

Even as the Army Air Corps began to experiment with training black pilots who would become the lauded Tuskegee Airmen, the Navy was particularly insistent on maintaining segregated roles within their ranks. Black Navy enlisted men were trained in separate service schools and were not considered qualified or capable of performing higher level tasks. Here at Fort Chicago, black sailors were assigned to handle munitions working around the clock, unloading arriving missiles, ammunition and bombs from railcars into and out of storage magazines, and then reloading them back onto cargo ships.

White commanding officers oversaw the work and directed the loading operations, but all of the sailors who directly handled the ordnance were black. It was hard work, very physically challenging, especially in the summer heat, and it was also extremely dangerous. Sailors were told that they were handling inactive munitions that lacked detonators, but in reality they were loading bombs equipped with warheads.

The sailors at Port Chicago were performing the same type of work as civilian stevedores who were highly trained and experienced. But the Navy did not see fit to provide their sailors with any formal instruction in munitions loading or any safety training on how to properly handle sensitive ordnance. To make matters worse, many of the white junior officers overseeing the loading operations, emphasized speed above all else.

Going so far as to race various crews against each other and insisting that they had to maintain loading speeds at an even faster rate than the professional professional civilian stevedores. The patriotic, dedicated Port Chicago sailors complied with these orders and loaded the Navy ships at an impressive pace., but many of them, as well as some outside observers, knew that this situation was a disaster.

Just waiting to happen.

On the night of July 17, 1944, two ships were docked here at the loading pier at Port Chicago. The Liberty Ship SSEA Bryan had been there for four days and was almost loaded to full capacity with ordnance, including shells, cluster bombs, depth charges, 1000 pound bombs and sensitive incendiary bombs. The victory ship. S.S. Colonel Victory had arrived earlier that day and was being rigged for loading due to begin at midnight.

16 railcars sat on the pier containing additional explosives. In all the munitions on the pier and in the ship contained the equivalent of approximately 2000 short tons of TNT. At approximately 10:18 p.m., a tremendous explosion occurred, followed seconds later by a much larger blast that reverberated throughout the East Bay, illuminating the night sky with a fireball, approximately three miles in diameter.

The force of the accompanying shockwave was felt for 40 miles, shattering windows as far away as San Francisco. Pieces of glowing hot metal and burning ordinance were sent hurtling over 12,000 feet into the air before raining down on the base and surrounding communities. Seismographs at the University of California, Berkeley registered the shockwaves traveling through the ground, measuring the second blast as a 3.4 on the Richter scale as if it were an earthquake.

All 320 men working on or near the pier that day died instantly. They included 202 African-American enlisted personnel working as loaders. Nine of their officers. .64 U.S. Maritime Service members who were crewmen on the E.A. Bryan and the Quinault victory. 33 members of the U.S. Navy armed Guard. Three civilian Navy workers and three civilian contractors. Five Coast Guard fire boat crewmen.

And the Marine on guard duty that night. The E.A. Bryant was complete destroyed, and the Quinault victory was blown out of the water, torn into sections that were thrown in several directions. The pier, along with the boxcars, locomotive rails and cargo, were blasted into pieces. And today, these pilings are what remains. The Coast Guard fire boat was thrown 600 feet upriver where it sank.

Now, the rest of the base, including the barracks where many surviving sailors were thrown out of their beds by the explosion, was severely damaged, as was the nearby town of Port Chicago. 90% of the small communities homes sustained damage, along with almost all of its businesses. Although no one outside of this immediate pier area was killed. 390 civilians and military personnel were injured, many of them seriously.

Now, as you can imagine, the aftermath of the explosion was horrific for all involved. Surviving personnel had the gruesome task of cleaning up and starting the process of rebuilding the base. Out of the 320 men who were lost. Only 51 could be identified. Corpses and body parts littered the bay, and the port. Survivors were in a state of shock, traumatized by the disaster and completely on edge.

They did not know exactly what had caused the explosion, and that created an extreme amount of anxiety. Incredibly, the Naval Court of inquiry investigating the cause of the explosion would lay the bulk of the blame at the feet of the black enlisted sailors who lost their lives, stating that they were, quote, neither temperamentally or intellectually capable of handling high explosives, unquote, and that, quote, rough and careless handling of the explosives had likely caused the explosion.

Even in the midst of tragedy, the Navy's ingrained discriminatory practices held fast. White officers were granted 30 days survivors leave, which is given out to sailors who survived a serious incident where their friends or shipmates had died and were then transferred to other duty. Black sailors, however, were not granted this leave. Not even those who had been hospitalized with injuries.

Instead, they were transferred to the naval barracks in Vallejo, near Merritt Island. And three weeks later, on August 9th, the fourth, eighth and second divisions were ordered to fall in for work as they reached the junction, where they were then ordered to turn left down to a ferry to reach the ammunition loading dock. The entire divisions of men sat cold.

They were terrified to return to doing the same dangerous work that had gotten their friends killed. Loading munitions in a robust and unsafe manner without any changes in protocol or procedures. This work stoppage forced the Navy to quickly try to contract civilian stevedores in order to continue to load the ships. Out of 328 men in the three divisions, 258 of them refused to handle munitions and were imprisoned for three days. After being then threatened with death by firing squad for refusing to follow an order during wartime, which the Navy considered mutinous conduct.,

208 of them yielded, and after serving out their time, received bad conduct discharges. However, 50 men, including enlisted man Joe Small, who served as a spokesman for the sailors and was subsequently accused of being a ringleader of the work stoppage, continued to refuse to load munitions.

They were all court-martialed and tried in the largest mass mutiny trial in U.S. naval history. This trial made headlines across the country and was thoroughly covered by several nationally circulated black newspapers, as well as the local San Francisco press. The Navy was determined to argue that the work stoppage was a conspiracy among the men and therefore constituted mutiny.

Despite the best efforts of ACP attorney Thurgood Marshall, who consulted with the defense and drew widespread media attention to the lax safety practices in place at the base, all 50 men were convicted of mutiny and given prison sentences of 8 to 15 years. Marshall mounted a vigorous legal appeal, garnering even more public support and attention, particularly from the White House.

But it was to no avail. The convictions were upheld. After the war, the men were granted clemency, with most of them serving only 1 to 2 years in prison. And many, even ironically, finished out their enlistments on naval ships. However, their convictions still stand today. Despite the outcome of the Mutiny trial., the disgraceful working conditions, rampant racial discrimination and systemic injustices that the trial exposed, could no longer be ignored.

The Navy was forced to implement a more rigorous safety training program and to change the practice of having only black enlisted men load munitions. By February 1946, the Navy, which had been the most exclusionary and segregated branch of all of the armed forces, ironically became the first to officially eliminate all racial barriers in its ranks. And in 1948, President Harry Truman issued Executive Order 9981 ordering the complete racial integration of the armed forces.

This was a major advance in civil rights in our country, and it laid bare the inevitable question: If a large, traditional institution like the military could desegregate, then why couldn't other American institutions follow suit? Over the next two decades, with the Brown versus Board of Education Supreme Court decision galvanizing the civil rights movement, racial discrimination and segregation were declared unconstitutional.

Throughout many aspects of American life. Here at Port Chicago Naval Magazine, the base was rebuilt, as was the town of Chicago. But the Navy immediately planned for an expansion aiming to increase and secure their munitions storage capacity and create a wider buffer between their operations in nearby communities. After many years of discussion and protest, the Navy officially took over the town of Port Chicago in 1968, using eminent domain to buy it out and tear it down.

Their expanded facility became known as the Concord Naval Weapons Station, which continued to support U.S. war efforts during the Korean War., the Vietnam War and the Gulf War before its eventual closure in 2008. And now here we stand today, 78 years after the disaster. Looking back into the past and turning towards the future. This history continues to capture the hearts and minds of more people than ever before.

Our long held vision of creating a world class joint visitor center is finally taking off at the new "Thurgood Marshall Regional Park: Home of the Port Chicago 50". We... (Pause for applause and clapping)... that is definitely worth applause. We are thrilled to partner with the friends of Port Chicago and East Bay Regional Park District along with many other organizations. In beginning this exciting journey to elevate the Port Chicago story to new levels, As well,

our colleagues at Treasure Island Museum have been actively interpreting this story, and, this is news to many of you, have recently been able to identify the actual location of the Mutiny trial site. I want to acknowledge Walt Bilofsky, Vice president of the Treasure Island Museum Association, for his tenacious determination and inspire in detective work. It exemplifies just how much is still possible to discover about this history.

Clearly, the significant support for Chicago Naval Magazine is much larger than the memorial itself. This unthinkable disaster has continued to directly impact the lives of thousands of people, particularly the descendants of those who perished and those who lived through it. It has helped to reshape the very fabric of our country in ways we can now fully appreciate. in retrospect. The themes of loss, accountability and continued injustice continue to resonate with us.

And today, in the era of Black Lives Matter, they take on a renewed urgency. The National Park Service Honors this legacy by helping the American public form connections with this site, finding meaning and reflecting on the past and how it connects to the future. As we pay tribute today to the brave men of Port Chicago and the sacrifices that so many people made as a result of the disaster, we pledge to continue to elevate their stories, to spread the knowledge and understanding of this history, and to help prepare the next generation of Americans to thoughtfully and critically examine these issues that strike at the essence of who we are as a society.

Every day, we give our best in honoring this vitally important history. We will make sure that their heroism and sacrifices are never forgotten. Thank you.

Duration:

16 minutes, 38 seconds

This segment of the event is speaker Kelli English who is the Interpretation, Education and Outreach Division Manager. Event: 78th Anniversary of the Port Chicago Explosion. Event Date: July 16, 2022. Location: Port Chicago Memorial.

 

76th Anniversary - Virtual Commemoration

Archived from July 17th, 2020

On July 17th, 2020, the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial held a virtual commemoration that "Premiered" live on Facebook, Youtube, and a fully-accessible media platform. This event was held in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restricitons that prevented an in-person event to be held in a safe manner.

Whlle this 48-minute presentaton was created for this specific event, it is a timeless message that contains interviews and footage for those who want to learn more about the Port Chicago disaster and its impact on those who were affected.

You may access the archived footage at these links:

76th Anniversary- Virtual Commemoration

Youtube Premiere Link (High-res video with available captions)

Fully Accessible Player Link (CaptionSync Website -For those who need audio description)