Navy Exonerates 258 Black Sailors Unjustly Punished After 1944 California Explosion

The U.S. Navy exonerated on Wednesday 258 Black sailors who were unjustly court-martialed and punished for refusing to follow orders after an explosion that killed more than 300 people in a California port 80 years ago.

On the night of July 17, 1944, an explosion with nearly the force of an atomic bomb ripped through the Port Chicago Naval Magazine north of San Francisco, destroying two ships and a train and killing 320 people – most of whom were Black sailors loading weapons on ships.

After the explosion, white sailors were given leave while the Black sailors had to return to handling ammunition without proper training or equipment.

When the sailors refused to load the ships, the Navy launched the largest mutiny trial in its history.

Some 258 were court-martialed and the ultimate conviction of 50 of the men of mutiny became a public controversy, setting off accusations of injustice and racism in the military.

“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 U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro on the explosion’s anniversary. “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.”

The Navy said that its general counsel found that there were “significant legal errors” during the courts-martial, including denial of meaningful right to counsel.

“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 Joe Biden said in a statement.