The Disaster of Port Chicago, California, during World War II

991 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: African americans in wwii essay

The site of the biggest home front disaster of World War II is in Port Chicago, California. This place of importance is often overlooked by many but has a great history behind it. The area is concealed by the surrounding Suisun Bay, Belloma Slough, and other bodies of water. The history of Port Chicago also includes racial issues which involve African-Americans and the cases that followed up some incidents in court until recently resolved. In Port Chicago, California stands a permanent memorial honoring the tragic unrest involving African-Americans who were treated unfairly.

The area of Port Chicago is very unique and plays a big part of the history. Port Chicago Naval Ammunition Depot was located at Mare Island, California and was once a munitions facility in the San Francisco Bay area. The importance of this specific site is that it was the gateway to the Pacific Ocean during World War II. Therefore, a large amount of transportation including exporting and importing was done here.

A very historic event and detailed story took place in Port Chicago, California. An election was held in wartime emergency on January 4, 1943 to whom the people chose Earl Warren for governor of California. Then on July 17, 1944, a huge explosion of two ammunition ships occurred at the Naval Ammunition Depot on the Sacramento River. A great amount of damage was done to this now destroyed base, which was originally a segregated unit. Two cargo ships were tied up at the wrecked pier and the number of sailors and ammunition handlers killed instantly varied from 200 to 320, with 202 being black sailors, depending on the resource. However, this blast was quick to be called a mutiny and legal matters were brought up almost immediately.

The ammunition b...

... middle of paper ...

...ent which was well deserved. Numerous photos are even in existence of the damage, the Navy, and everything involving Port Chicago for those searching for further reference. Port Chicago, California, the site of the biggest home front disaster of World War II, will always be important in history as well as a site for remembrance.

Works Cited
“Friends of Port Chicago” 24 June 2009.

(13 December 2009)

Allen, Robert L. "Injustice upheld in Port Chicago mutiny trial."

Black Scholar 24.1 (1994): 56.

"Home Front Munitions Disaster Site Proposed as National Park."

World War II 22.7 (2007): 13.

Lanning, Michael L. The African American Soldier: From Crispus Attacks to Colin

Powell. Secaucus NJ; First Carol Publishing Group 1999

Rolie, Andrew F. California History.

United States; Thomas Y. Crowell Company, Inc. 1969

Show More
Related

  • The Elaine Race Massacre Case Report

    2397 Words  | 5 Pages

    The class and regional tension separated African-American leaders of that period. A black prosecutor named Scipio Africanis Jones, tried to set free the twelve black men’s who were imprisoned. After the days of the massacres, a self-proclaimed group of foremost white citizens allotted a report. The committee demanded that Robert Hill, the union organizer, was an external protestor who had deceived native blacks into organizing an insurgency. The Negros were told to stay out of Elaine, by the wicked white men and deceitful leaders of their own race who were abusing them for their personal achievements. The black farmers that were muddled in the original firing had been consulting to work out the facts that involved the massacre of white ranchers and the eliminating the white’s possessions. Thus, the firing and the fatal riots that trailed were esteemed involvements that saved the lives of numerous white citizens, although at the outlay of many black

    Read More

  • USS Eisenhower Collision

    1386 Words  | 3 Pages

    On the morning of August 29, 1988, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was returning to her homeport in Norfolk after conducting a six-month deployment in the Mediterranean Sea. She had performed extremely well in exercises and was set to receive the Battle “E.” The carrier had recently taken on approximately 500 Tigers in Bermuda, joining their parents for the final leg of the voyage. Also, the Secretary of the Navy was aboard that morning, and had been present on the bridge prior to his departure at 0807. 14 minutes later, at 0821 according to the deck log, the Eisenhower struck the Spanish bulk carrier Urduliz, which was anchored in a designated anchorage area, “A,” in berth “Z.”

    Read More

  • USS Arizona, A Great Ship

    1913 Words  | 4 Pages

    On December 7th, 1941 tragedy struck when Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese. Many ships were sunk during the attack, but one of the most recognizable was the battleship the U.S.S. Arizona. This was one of the ships that was in line in the infamous battleship row. Because of where the U.S.S. Arizona was located it was a sitting duck to dive bombers and torpedo bombers of the Japanese. Once the ship was hit it went down in nine minutes. The sinking of the U.S.S. Arizona caused 1,177 service men to die while on board. The U.S.S. Arizona should also be known for all of its accomplishments during its tenure as a battleship. The Arizona had a very long and prestigious career before it was sunk. During the U.S.S. Arizona's life is served many important functions, from patrolling waters to escorting important people. The loss of the U.S.S. Arizona will forever be remembered as a tragic loss for the United States and its armed forces.

    Read More

  • The Affect of Railroads on Chicago

    472 Words  | 1 Pages

    There is one reason Chicago is as big as it is today and that is the fact that it is the largest rail city in the world. The railroad made Chicago what it is today, and although the canal was very important in the history of Chicago the railroads importance out weighs it by far. The canal was important because it was the vision of the first settlers of Chicago to have an all water trade route that would go through Chicago. What those first explorers saw was a way to make a canal so that they could transport goods from the St Lawrence River all the way to the Gulf of Mexico with less cost and with more efficiency. The canal was the reason Chicago was settled in the first place if not for it there might very well not be a city called Chicago. You could argue that the canal was the most important thing in Chicago's history but I think the railroads were much more important. The railroads enabled Chicago to become one of the biggest cities in the world by bringing in different business and all types of goods. Chicago is a very key location to have a railroad-shipping hub. This is because it is centrally located in the United States so goods can be shipped in almost any direction and received in a shorter amount of time. William Butler Ogden was the one who pushed for Chicago to adopt a large rail system and he should be known as the one who made this city boom. St. Louis or another centrally located city could have very well adopted the rail system and they would have reaped all the benefits.

    Read More

  • Korematsu v. United States

    836 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1943 a student Gordon Hirabayashi disobeyed a report for evacuation and curfew. Hirabayashi v. United States (1943), was the first judicial test of the statute that was signed into law by Franklin Roosevelt to make it a crime to remain in a military zone, that was put to use towards an American citizen. Hirabayashi was convicted of both counts, evacuation and curfew, in Fede...

    Read More

  • Was World War II A Turning Point For African Americans?

    1141 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kelley, Roger E. "America’s World War II Home Front Heritage." Cr.nps.gov. United States, n.d. Web.

    Read More

  • The San Francisco Golden Gate Exhibition 1939-1940

    2091 Words  | 5 Pages

    In 1939, the city of San Francisco hosted an international exhibition, named the Golden Gate Fair in honor of the construction by the city of the world's two largest suspension bridges, the Golden Gate and San Francisco-Oakland, which spanned the San Francisco Bay. With all the skill that could be mustered by American engineers, an island was constructed amidst the Pacific waters, becoming the largest ever manmade island. Christened Treasure Island, this would be the location of the 1939 Exhibition. The visions of a fair surrounded by the glory of the Pacific Ocean had finally materialized. However, this captivating scene took place as Europe verged on the edge of disaster. Germany had already begun its annexation of neighboring countries and threatened to unleash conflict on a global level. In only two short years the United States would be fully involved in this catastrophe. Furthermore, at the time of the fair the United States had just emerged from the Great Depression, which had affected the country in many ways. This fair seemed to provide a brief interlude between these two very difficult times in American history. For this event the U.S. decided to turn attention away from the international climate and focus on the beauty of the Pacific, which ironically is named for peace.

    Read More

  • Japanese Internment After Pearl Harbor

    2439 Words  | 5 Pages

    On December 7,1941 Japan raided the airbases across the islands of Pearl Harbour. The “sneak attack” targeted the United States Navy. It left 2400 army personnel dead and over a thousand Americans wounded. U.S. Navy termed it as “one of the great defining moments in history”1 President Roosevelt called it as “A Day of Infamy”. 2 As this attack shook the nation and the Japanese Americans became the immediate ‘focal point’. At that moment approximately 112,000 Persons of Japanese descent resided in coastal areas of Oregon, Washington and also in California and Arizona.3

    Read More

  • The Impact Of The San Francisco Earthquake Of 1906

    923 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the early twentieth century, San Francisco, a bustling city full of people with diverse cultures, stood in the midst of the Second Industrial Revolution. At this time, the brilliant inventions of airplanes, automobiles, and radios were changing the everyday lives of many. San Francisco had just recovered from the four-year burden of the bubonic plague (“Bubonic”). However, right when things were getting back to normal, a destructive earthquake hit the city on April 18, 1906. Although the shaking lasted for less than a minute, the devastated city had crumbled buildings and a substantial loss of lives. The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 had a lasting effect on the city and its people, and it proved to be one of the most catastrophic disasters in history.

    Read More

  • Japanese Internment: A Lesson from the Past

    2309 Words  | 5 Pages

    World War II was a time of heightened tension. The entire world watched as fascism and dictatorships battled against democracy and freedom in the European theater. The United States looked on, wishing to remain neutral and distant from the war. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese, officially drawing the U.S. into the war. Thousands of young sailors died in the attack and several U.S. Navy vessels were sunk. The attack marked the beginning of the United States’ involvement in World War II as well as the beginning of the persecution of Japanese Americans in the U.S. Hysteria and outrage increased across the country and largely contributed to the authority’s decision to act against the Japanese. On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, allowing the military to place anyone of Japanese lineage in restri...

    Read More

  • Pearl Harbor: Before, During, and After

    2524 Words  | 6 Pages

    Pearl Harbor is easily one of the most disastrous events that occurred on American soil. It was a deliberate attack against the United States from Japan. Before December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked, America had decided not to get involved in European affairs, which included the beginning of World War II. However, once the United States saw how much Britain and the Soviet Union were suffering from fighting with the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan), America felt obligated to help in some way to help without actually entering the war. Weapons, money, and food were sent over seas to help aid them in any way it could. It was very obvious that if America had entered the war, we would join the side of the Allies (Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union). The day after Pearl Harbor, Franklin D. Roosevelt approached congress and asked for a declaration of war against Japan. Pearl Harbor affected many events that occurred in World War II. Not only the United States, but the world was affected that day.

    Read More

  • The Rise Of The Naacp

    1106 Words  | 3 Pages

    In mid- August 1908, in Springfield Illinois there was a report that a white woman had been assaulted in her home by a black man, shortly afterward, a second report came in stating there was an assault on another white woman by a black man. These incidents coming within hours of each other inflamed a large white mob. The Springfield police arrested Joe James for the first offence, and George Richardson for the second, meanwhile the gathering mob met at the county courthouse ready to lynch the two men in custody. Not able to get to the men the sheriff had in custody, the mob turn their attention on two other black men in the area. Scott Burton and William Donegan where taken by the angry mob and were quickly lynched. This angry mob violence spread throughout the community and the city lim...

    Read More

  • World War II And WWII Impact

    2303 Words  | 5 Pages

    WWI was initially viewed as a European war, so far removed from the lives of African Americans. Though as the US declared war on Germany in 1917, African Americans optimistically saw an opportunity to assert their rights as citizens, demand equality and prove their loyalty through enlisting and fighting for their country. This was supported by a number of notable Black activists including W.E.B Du bois who urged African Americans to ‘close ranks’ with the whites. One of the lasting impacts of both world wars was the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to the industrialised and urban North, which dramatically shifted the geographical centre of African American population and changed the racial balance of the country. War related industries such as weapon production grew exponentially in the...

    Read More

  • The Great Chicago Fire of 1871

    1472 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 was one of the largest disasters in American history. Practically overnight the great city of Chicago was destroyed. Before the fire there was a large drought causing everything to be dry and flammable, then a fire broke out in the O’Leary’s barn and spread throughout the city. Many attempts were made to put out the fire but there were too many errors and problems in the beginning. After the fire many people were left homeless and had to help build their city again (Murphy, 39)

    Read More

  • What Are The Causes Of The Spanish American War

    732 Words  | 2 Pages

    On February 15, 1898, out of nowhere the Maine blew up, killing 266 American officers and crew. Only a week before that, The New York Journal had published a stolen private letter written by the Spanish prime minister in Washington, Enrique Dupuy de Lome, who belittled McKinley “as weak and a bidder for the admiration of the crowd.” After the Maine

    Read More

More about The Disaster of Port Chicago, California, during World War II

Open Document