U.S. Navy Exonerates African-American Sailors Wrongfully Punished Over 1944 Port Chicago Explosion

The U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro, has announced the full exoneration of the remaining 256 defendants of the 1944 Port Chicago general and summary courts-martial.

The announcement was made on July 17, marking the 80th anniversary of the explosion at Port Chicago Naval Magazine in California. The explosion killed 320 people, injured 400 others, destroyed two ships and a train, and caused significant damage to the nearby town of Port Chicago.

Expressing his deepest condolences, Secretary Del Toro acknowledged the Sailors, civilians, Coast Guardsmen, members of the U.S. Maritime Service, and one Marine who lost their lives, as well as their families.

Following the 1944 explosion, white supervising officers received hardship leave while surviving African-American Sailors were ordered back to work. This treatment reflected the Navy’s discriminatory personnel policies of the time, which limited African-American Sailors to non-seagoing roles. The majority of ordnance battalions at Port Chicago Naval Magazine were comprised of African-American enlisted personnel and white officers.

In the absence of clarity on the explosion or further safety training, 258 African-American Sailors refused to resume ammunition handling. After threats of disciplinary action, 208 Sailors returned to work but were subsequently convicted at a summary court-martial for disobeying orders. They were sentenced to a Bad Conduct Discharge and forfeiture of three months’ pay, though these penalties were later reduced or suspended in subsequent reviews.

The remaining 50 Sailors, who continued to refuse work, were charged with mutiny, convicted, and sentenced to Dishonorable Discharge, fifteen years of hard labor, reduction in rank, and total forfeiture of pay. Reviews of these convictions led to reduced sentences and the suspension of Dishonorable Discharges. By January 1946, most of the Sailors were released and allowed to complete 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,” Secretary Del Toro stated. “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.”

A thorough review of the case by the General Counsel of the Navy found significant legal errors during the courts-martial, including improper joint trials despite conflicting interests and denial of a meaningful right to counsel. These trials occurred before the Navy’s Court of Inquiry report on the explosion was finalized, which could have informed the defense with substantive recommendations to improve ammunition loading practices.

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

“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,” President Biden said in a statement. “May we all remember their courage, sacrifice, and service to our Nation.

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