View historic images from the disaster, as well as modern images from the site.
Historic photo of sailors at the naval base at Port Chicago.
NPS Photo: POCH 2.080
The WWII Naval Accident that Took the Lives of 320 Americans
On the evening of July 17, 1944, residents in the San Francisco east bay area were jolted awake by a massive explosion that cracked windows and lit up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were instantly killed when two ships being loaded with ammunition for the Pacific theater troops blew up. It was WWII's worst home front disaster.
The munitions explosion at Port Chicago Naval Magazine on July 17, 1944, was the largest stateside disaster of World War II. The blast registered 3.4 on the Richter scale, was felt more than 450 miles away and resulted in 320 fatalities and approximately 400 injured. The memorial is located at the site of the explosion, the final resting place for the un-recovered casualties.
Following the explosion, as before, surviving sailors received unequal treatment based on their race. Many African American sailors refused to return to work soon after the explosion and 50 were convicted of mutiny in the largest naval trial of its kind in US history. These convictions still stand today despite efforts to overturn them.
The Port Chicago explosion, the mutiny trial, and the response of African American communities to these events exposed the shameful injustices of racism in the military. These events were a catalyst for the Navy, the armed services, and ultimately, the nation to weigh the costs of racial segregation. The memorial serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggles for equality and social justice today.
Port Chicago Naval Magazine was the largest ammunition transshipment facility on the West Coast and was essential to the success of the war effort in the Pacific Theater; much of the ammunition and bombs used by US forces in the Pacific passed through the hands of sailors at Port Chicago. This transshipment facility continues to operate today under the US Army.
Remembering the Fallen
The following is a list of those who were killed in the Port Chicago explosion. We have placed each section of names in a sortable data set to facilitate easy access to the information. You can also download a copy of the information. Note: (Asterik) * indicates individual's remains were positively identified (these total 48.)
