June 26, 2015
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Page 5
Pulse, from page 4
Port Chicago, from page 1 could be found. Dean McLeod, a local historian who did extensive research into the event, said, “The government’s investigation into causes was superficial. The port had to get back to work. Questions remain as to the cause of the explosion, ranging from conspiracy theory to sabotage.” The official cause of the disaster, listed as faulty handling of the weapons, is certainly understandable. The enlisted men and the officers were poorly trained in the handling of explosives. Competition between divisions in poundage loaded during a shift took precedent over safety. A curious aftermath to the blast, according to McLeod, was the government investigation: “They seemed more interested in the effects of the explosion, rather than the cause.” The disaster allowed the Manhattan Project to measure the kind of damage that could be done by a blast. Capt. William Parsons, chief ordnance officer of the Manhattan Project, was immediately on the scene to investigate the effects. Some wondered if perhaps the explosion was not an accident, but rather a test of an experimental port-busting weapon under study by the Manhattan Project. Another unconfirmed theory maintains that a torpedo-carrying Japanese mini-sub found its way through the bay, as was done at Pearl Harbor.
THE MUTINY Whatever the cause, however, the disaster led to mutiny charges of African-American sailors who refused to continue loading the munitions, and a serious examination of racism in the Navy. Known as the Port Chicago 50, these African-American sailors represented the largest case of mutiny in the history of the Navy. After helping in the cleanup and seeing the horrific damage done by the blast, the AfricanAmerican sailors from Port Chicago were transferred to Mare Island. On Aug. 9 they were told to report to duty. The overriding fear of another blast permeated their thoughts. Of the three divisions assigned to load munitions that day, 258 out of 328 sailors refused, citing fear as their reason. The dissenters were loaded onto a makeshift prison on a barge and held there. Steve Sheinkin, who chronicled the events in his book “The Port Chicago 50,” reported that Admiral Carleton Wright addressed the dissenters two
Image in the public domain
UNSAFE HANDLING LED TO A DISASTROUS MUNITIONS EXPLOSION AT PORT CHICAGO on July 17, 1944, which killed 320 sailors, most of them African-Americans, and led to the biggest mutiny in the history of the Navy. Photo is of the Port Chicago Pier looking south.
days later, telling them that their actions were considered mutinous and the penalty, during wartime, could be death by firing squad. At that point, 214 went back to work, leaving 44 behind. Eventually, 50 sailors (half of them teenagers) refused to load ammunition. They did not refuse work, but requested any other assignment or changes in the current procedures. The trial began Sept. 14 on Treasure Island. To this day, it remains the largest mutiny trial in the Navy’s history. They were all found guilty, sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in prison and dishonorable discharge from the Navy. Even after the war was won, the case put considerable pressure on the Navy. Thurgood Marshall presented an appeal; Eleanor Roosevelt followed the case and members of Congress called for an investigation. After a little over a year at Terminal Island, all 50 were released and given assignments aboard ships. In 1948, President Truman’s historic order ended segregation in the military.
THE EVOLUTION OF PORT CHICAGO The name Bay Point was first used as far back as the 1850s and described its primary geographic feature, a spit of land that juts into the Suisun Bay. The name was officially changed to Chicago in 1931, but was soon amended to Port Chicago after objections from the U.S. Postal Service. When World War II broke out, the Navy had to expand Mare Island. McLeod stated, “Most of the Bay Area cried
‘not in my backyard,’ but Port Chicago welcomed the Navy with open arms.” The closing of the Coos Bay Lumber Company in 1932 resulted in the town losing 75 percent of its jobs. The Navy brought prosperity back to Port Chicago. The key value of the area included a deep-water port and two transcontinental railroads that passed through. Its relative small population and lack of industrial activity also added to its worth as a shipment location. In 1942, the Navy claimed 576 acres of the shoreline. Two years later, however, the explosion changed everything. The blessing turned to a curse.
A REUNION The residents who gather for a reunion picnic on the last Saturday of July each year recall when, at the height of the Vietnam War, the Navy served eviction notices and announced it would raze the town. What the residents didn’t know, and the Navy couldn’t tell them, was that the base had become home to top-secret development of nuclear weapons and they needed more of a buffer zone. The National Park Service offers guided 1.5 hour tours of Port Chicago Naval Magazine throughout the year on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. Not all dates may be available, and reservations must be made two weeks in advance online or by phone at 925-2288860 ext. 6520. For more information on the history of Port Chicago and the surrounding regions, go to the baypointhistoricalsociety.com.
Port Chicago Memorial Events Two events will be held in July to commemorate the Port Chicago disaster. Join the National Park Service and the Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial to honor the 320 men who lost their lives. Visitors are invited to attend the ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday July 18, 2015 at the site of the catastrophe, which occurred on July 17, 1944 at Port Chicago Naval Magazine in Concord. This annual event is a rare opportunity for friends, family, and others interested in the Port Chicago disaster and its aftermath to join together in a day of remembrance. As the event will be held on an active military base, visitors must have a security check. Visitors age 17 and under must
Remember that these are the percent of registered U.S. citizens able to vote. If we were to break it down by age group regardless of place of birth, we would find that the millennials have roughly the chance to vote equal to their age with 18-yearolds in the year of their first election having a spike equal to the turnout of 24-year-olds, with those age of 20-21 having the all time lowest turnout. The county numbers carry on to the City of Concord and we found that when it came to the Special Election in March for State Senate we had the following turnout by place of birth: California: 22.7 percent New York: 35.6 percent Philippines: 22.1 percent Mexico: 14.9 percent It should be noted, and may be a surprise to many, that in Concord, when it comes to place of birth, those from the Philippines comprise the largest
be accompanied by an adult, but do not need to provide the information below. When reserving a spot, please be ready to give the following:
acknowledgement from NPS staff.
• First Name, Middle Name, Last Name • Date of Birth • E-Mail or Mailing Address • Daytime Phone Number • State issued driver’s license number (and the state which issued the ID)
Meanwhile, former residents of Port Chicago will hold their annual picnic on July 25 from noon till 4:30 p.m. at Ambrose Park, 125 Memorial Way, Bay Point. Many of these same residents have gathered every year since the Navy took over the town in 1969 and evicted all the residents.
Reservations are required and must be made by July 6, 2015. To make a reservation, please leave a voicemail message at 925-8380249 x 6520 or email thaddeus_shay@nps.gov. Your reservation is confirmed when you receive
For more information about the event, please visit www.nps.gov/poch.
For information, contact co-chairs Nancy Colchico at 925-8251239, or Marcia Lessley at 925- 458-0896. There is a $5 charge for the picnic, and a raffle is held to help offset costs.
The time is NOW
minority of the voters by nation: 1,653 registered voters compared to 1,232 for Mexico. Once again New Yorkers dominate the non-Californian state contribution at 1,305 voters. When it came to the final run-off in May between State Senate candidates Susan Bonilla and Steve Glazer, there was about a base increase of 4 percent in all groups, so native Californians were up to 26.5 percent. Clearly there is a problem in getting the immigrant Hispanic population out to vote. When it comes to local government, as my favorite saying goes, “They are either listening to you or to someone else, so what is it going to be?” Silence never moved a politician and voting is speaking. Send comments to EdiBirsan@astound.net, or visit www.PulseOfConcord.com.
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