WASHINGTON – The Secretary of the Navy announced on July 17 the full exoneration of the remaining 256 defendants of the 1944 Port Chicago general and summary courts-martial.

The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, made the announcement on the 80th anniversary of an explosion that occurred at Port Chicago Naval Magazine in California. The explosion killed 320 people, injured 400 others, destroyed two ships and a train, and caused damage to the nearby town of Port Chicago.

Secretary Del Toro expressed his deepest condolences for the Sailors, civilians, Coast Guardsmen, members of the U.S. Maritime Service, and one Marine who lost their lives and for their family members.

Following the 1944 explosion, white supervising officers at Port Chicago were given hardship leave while the surviving African-American Sailors were ordered back to work. The circumstances surrounding the disaster were reflective of the Navy’s personnel policies at the time, which barred African-American Sailors from nearly all seagoing jobs. Most of the Navy ordnance battalions assigned to Port Chicago Naval Magazine and similar facilities were comprised of African-American enlisted personnel and white officers.

In the absence of clarity on the explosions or further safety training, 258 African-American Sailors refused to resume ammunition handling. After threats of disciplinary action, 208 of the Sailors returned to work; however, the Navy still subsequently convicted all 208 Sailors at a summary court-martial for disobeying orders.

The Navy sentenced each of the summary court-martial defendants to a Bad Conduct Discharge and forfeiture of three month’s pay. During subsequent reviews of the summary court-martial, the Bad Conduct Discharges were suspended, the forfeitures reduced, and one conviction was set aside for insufficient evidence.

The remaining 50 Sailors continued to refuse to return to work and were charged with mutiny. The Navy later convicted all 50 Sailors (who came to be called the “Port Chicago 50”) of mutiny at a mass general court-martial. Each of these defendants was sentenced to a Dishonorable Discharge, fifteen years confinement at hard labor, reduction in rate to E-1, and total forfeitures of their pay.

During subsequent reviews of the general court-martial, the Dishonorable Discharges were suspended and the period of confinement was reduced from 15 years to 17-29 months. One conviction was also set aside for mental incompetency. By January 1946, nearly all the Sailors were released and given the opportunity to finish their contracts.

“The Port Chicago 50, and the hundreds who stood with them, may not be with us today, but their story lives on, a testament to the enduring power of courage and the unwavering pursuit of

justice,” said Secretary Del Toro. “They stand as a beacon of hope, forever reminding us that even in the face of overwhelming odds, the fight for what’s right can and will prevail.”

After a thorough review of the case and related materials, the General Counsel of the Navy concluded that there were significant legal errors during the courts-martial. The defendants were improperly tried together despite conflicting interests and denied a meaningful right to counsel.

The courts-martial also occurred before the Navy’s Court of Inquiry report on the Port Chicago explosion was finalized, which certainly would have informed their defense and contained nineteen substantive recommendations to improve ammunition loading practices.

Following the Navy’s most recent review, Secretary Del Toro fully exonerated the remaining 256 defendants of the 1944 Port Chicago general and summary courts-martial.

If any family members of the defendants of the 1944 Port Chicago general and summary courts-martial would like to reach out to the Department of the Navy for future notifications on the topic or more information, please reach out to [email protected], or 703-697-5342.

Statement from President Joe Biden on U.S. Navy Port Chicago Exonerations

Today, the U.S. Navy is righting an historic wrong by announcing the exoneration of 258 Black Sailors who were unjustly tried and convicted of mutiny and disobeying orders following the tragic explosion at Port Chicago, California nearly 80 years ago. At the time, future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall represented the “Port Chicago 50” in their appeal of their courts-martial convictions, writing that, “justice can only be done in this case by a complete reversal of findings.” With this action, we are answering that call.

On July 17, 1944, two U.S. Navy ships were destroyed when the S.S. E.A. Bryan cargo ship exploded at Port Chicago while being loaded with ammunition. This explosion, the deadliest home-front disaster in the U.S. during World War II, led to the tragic deaths of 320 Sailors and civilians, with hundreds more injured. In the wake of that tragedy, Black Sailors were required to clean up the carnage and return to the dangerous work of handling munitions without adequate training and protective equipment while white Sailors were granted leave. In the face of this injustice, 258 Black Sailors refused orders to load ammunition and soon after were convicted at courts-martials for disobeying orders and mutiny.

After conducting a careful and deliberative review, the U.S. Navy has determined that the courts-martials for all 258 Black Sailors were fundamentally unfair, plagued by legal errors, and tainted by racial discrimination. Today’s announcement marks the end of a long and arduous journey for these Black Sailors and their families, who fought for a nation that denied them equal justice under law. May we all remember their courage, sacrifice, and service to our Nation.

Congressman Mark DeSaulnier remembered the lives of the hundreds who were killed and wounded at the floor last week.

Congressman DeSaulnier Commends U.S. Navy Exoneration of Port Chicago 50 on 80th Anniversary of Explosion

Washington, D.C. – Today, eighty years after the devastating explosion at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine in Concord, California on July 17, 1944, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) commends the U.S. Navy’s posthumous exoneration of the Port Chicago 50 – African American sailors who were wrongfully and discriminately charged with mutiny after the incident. The harsh treatment they received, both in their work and in the courtroom, was reflective of the racial segregation present in the military at the time. Since coming to Congress in 2015, Congressman DeSaulnier has led the fight for justice for and exoneration of these sailors through legislation and work with the U.S. Navy and multiple Administrations. He represented the community that came together to advocate for the sailors, the site of the Port Chicago explosion, and the memorial site for the majority of his time in office.

“After nearly a decade fighting for justice for the Port Chicago 50, I commend the U.S. Navy and thank Navy Secretary Del Toro for exonerating these heroes and President Biden for his support. Today our nation stands one step closer to fulfilling its founding promise of equality and justice for all,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “I thank Rev. Diana McDaniel and the Friends of the Port Chicago 50, Congressman George Miller and John Lawrence, his then Chief of Staff, and Representatives Barbara Lee and John Garamendi for their efforts to help accomplish this monumental feat.”

“I thank Navy Secretary Del Toro for his exhaustive review and exonerating the Port Chicago 50, correcting 80 years of injustice. The Port Chicago 50 were ordered to their deaths in the summer of 1944, nearly four years before President Truman signed the executive order formally banning racial segregation in the American military. Now, eighty years later, the families of the Port Chicago 50 convicted for mutinying against an order that should never have been given finally have closure. Their full exoneration brings a sense of justice that has been long overdue. As Port Chicago’s Congressman, I am proud to stand with the families of these servicemen and my colleagues, Representatives Mark DeSaulnier and Barbara Lee, in celebrating this historic moment,” said Congressman John Garamendi.

“This is a monumental day for justice and for the families of the Port Chicago 50. I appreciate the Secretary of the Navy taking this crucial action to exonerate these courageous men who were unjustly court-martialed by the Navy following the explosion at Port Chicago. On the 80^th anniversary of this tragic event, it’s fitting that these men are not only exonerated, but honored for their service to this country. I have been working on this issue with former Congressman George Miller and Congressman DeSaulnier since coming to Congress 26 years ago. This is long overdue,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee.

“When I learned of the exoneration I burst into tears, this has been a long-time coming. It is so sad that Robert Allen and the PC 50 and the sailors who were penalized are not with us to celebrate. I am so grateful to the Biden administration, to the Secretary of the Navy, to our Champions Rep. DeSaulnier and former Congressman George Miller. So many people have worked on this – a major wrong has been righted,” said Reverend Diana McDaniel, President of The Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us that ‘the arc of The Moral Universe is long but it bends towards justice,’ and today’s action by President Biden and Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro at long last corrects a grievous historical wrong,” said former Congressman George Miller. “I salute colleagues in Congress, state and local government and many others, especially Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, for persisting in this long battle to clear the names of the Port Chicago 50. Special recognition is also due to Rev. Diana McDaniel of the Friends of Port Chicago, Thurgood Marshall, Jr., and the late historian Robert Allen, who have played crucial roles in telling the Port Chicago story and in demanding justice.”

After experiencing segregation in the Navy during World War II, 320 men, including 202 African American sailors, were killed and almost 400 others were injured when a cargo vessel exploded as munitions were being loading onto ships. This incident accounted for more than 15 percent of all African American Naval casualties during WWII and was the deadliest home front disaster during the war. While White officers were given time off, African American sailors were forced to return to the same unsafe working conditions that killed their colleagues, having never been properly trained in safe munitions loading and handling practices. When 50 of these men understandably refused, they were discriminately charged and convicted of mutiny.

Since coming to Congress, Congressman DeSaulnier has been actively working to seek justice for the Port Chicago 50, including through amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), introducing resolutions to exonerate the sailors in the 114^th, 115^th, 116^th, 117^th, and 118^th Congresses, and in calling on then-President Obama and past and current Secretaries of the Navy to remove the racially-based convictions from the sailors’ records. After Congressman DeSaulnier successfully included a provision to an NDAA requiring the Navy to investigate the circumstances surrounding the treatment of sailors at Port Chicago, the Navy acknowledged the injustice that was served against the Port Chicago 50. DeSaulnier has also called upon the Smithsonian Institution to include information about the Port Chicago 50 in the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

East Bay Regional Park District Lauds Full Exoneration of Port Chicago Black Sailors by U.S. Secretary of the Navy

The East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth made the following statement today about Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro’s full exoneration of African American sailors who were charged in 1944 with mutiny after the explosion at Port Chicago, the worst home front disaster of World War II:

“Today’s historic decision by Navy Secretary Del Toro shows leadership unmatched for the preceding 80 years. The Park District has long supported the resolution calling on the Navy to exonerate the Port Chicago 50. We hope today’s significant announcement creates momentum for us to realize our dream of a world-class visitor center where people can learn and share important stories of social injustice and civil rights that have shaped history, as well as providing an opportunity to heal and reflect on our collective past, as we look toward a future inclusive of all.”

Background:

East Bay Regional Park District Support for Exoneration of the Port Chicago 50.

The Park District listened to the community and named the associated park in Concord, Calif. on the site of the former Naval Weapons Station “Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50.”  By doing so, the Park District became the first agency to identify a regularly accessible space for people to discover the courage and legacy of these sailors. The nearby National Park Service Memorial site serves as the final resting place for the sailors who died. The events that occurred at Port Chicago served as a catalyst for civil rights and social justice locally and nationally.

In 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial Enhancement Act of 2009. Included in that legislation was language that specifically authorized the National Park Service to partner with the Park District to establish a future visitor center within a regional park near the Memorial. A visitor center at the future regional park will provide broader access to the important history of Port Chicago due to access restrictions for the public to reach the actual National Memorial site located within an active Army base.

Other Articles of Interest

• July 17 – 80th Anniversary Of The Port Chicago Explosion
• July 15, 2024 – July 18-21: Port Chicago Weekend
• Feb 17, 2023 –  Resolution to Right Historic Injustice with Exoneration of Port Chicago 50 Introduced
• Jan 18, 2017 – Sen. Glazer Makes a Appeal to President Obama to Exonerate the Port Chicago 50
• Aug 19, 2015 – Congressman DeSaulnier Honors the Port Chicago 50 in Concord