Today is the 81st anniversary of the tragic explosion in Port Chicago. On July 17, 1944, 4600 tons on the Liberty Ship E.A. Bryan, and another 400 tons of explosives on the pier all went up in two separate blasts, which were 7 seconds apart. The explosion is recorded as one of the largest man-made, non-nuclear explosions in history. This explosion accounts for 15% of all African-American casualties in World War II. 320 men were killed, and another 390 were injured.
Please watch the video below for more information on the blast.
My Father remembered and shared with me. He was a Driver in the National Guard for the Corporal.
I’m not sure what wounds
anyone thinks this’ll heal,
but I like the geometry
and layout.
nice work.
Very interesting video! Thanks for posting!
I have an interesting related story. As a boy growing up in Concord in the 60s I was digging in our backyard and found a piece of blue-gray molten metal. It was about 6 in by 8 in and probably weighed about 3 lbs. I thought it was odd that it would be just below the surface of the ground and wondered what it might have been from. But it wasn’t till years later when the Transcript ( remember that paper?) did a story about the Port Chicago ship explosions and they mentioned that pieces of the ship were found as far away as the old part of Concord by Salvio & East Street.. that explained it!
Thank you for posting. Dad talked to me a a lot when I moved to Concord because of Mother”s Uncle Allen.
He had moved to Concord from El Celltro. My Uncle was Concord.
I was a 7 year old working a picture puzzle in front of an open window facing Port Chicago at my Grandmothers house on warehouse lane in between Martinez and Concord when it happened. Pieces of my puzzle sprayed me like water. Like I had been taught in school I hit the floor and crawled into another room.