More than 200 Black sailors who were unjustly court-martialed following the 1944 explosion at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine have been exonerated, 80 years later.
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that 256 sailors were exonerated following the Navy’s most recent review of the summary courts-martial, on July 17, 2024 — the 80th commemoration of the tragedy.
“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 Del Toro. “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.”
After a review of the case, the General Counsel of the Navy concluded that there were significant legal errors during the courts-martial. These errors included, trying all of the sailors together in one case despite conflicting interests, denying them the right to proper legal counsel, and the courts-martial, or trial, happened before the Navy could complete its investigation of the explosion.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin took to social media to share his appreciation of the effort in a prepared statement.
“Eighty years later, we recognize that those 258 sailors were right, and the segregated Navy that unnecessarily risked their lives was wrong,” Austin’s statement read.
Dubbed as the Port Chicago disaster, the incident was caused by an explosion of munitions at Port Chicago Naval Magazine in California on July 17, 1944.
The explosion killed 320 people, and injured 400 others, many of them were navy sailors in their early 20’s just starting out their military careers, nearly two thirds of those who died were African American.
Following the disaster, the sailors were told to continue placing munitions inside the same magazine that had exploded. However, many sailors were skeptical, and 258 people refused to continue loading the munitions.
“Following the explosion, surviving sailors were traumatized and fearful of returning to the same dangerous work without changes to safety procedures and proper training. On August 9, 1944, when ordered to resume loading ammunition under similar conditions, 258 African American sailors refused, demanding better safety measures. Initially charged with disobedience, their actions were reclassified as mutiny—a serious military offense,” from the National Park Service.
On August 9, 1944, 50 of the sailors were charged with mutiny. During the trial they were not allowed to testify in their own defense, and the court refused to admit evidence of the unsafe working conditions.
Thurgood Marshall, a special counsel for the NAACP did not defend the sailors at the trial, but he did provide legal counsel and publicized the case.
“Thurgood Marshall’s arguments were largely ignored by the all-white officers who constituted the court-martial board. The trial lasted from September 14 to October 24, 1944, and attracted significant media attention and public outcry,” from the National Park Service.
The trial and his work helped highlight the systemic racism in the military, years later. But at the time, the 50 sailors were given egregious sentences; eight to 15 years of hard labor and dishonorable charges.
“The harsh sentences handed down were intended to serve as a deterrent but also underscored the need for military and societal reforms. This incident ultimately contributed to the desegregation of the U.S. armed forces, illustrating how acts of mutiny can catalyze significant social change,” from the National Park Service.
Following the sailors’ sentences, there was public outcry for reform in the military. The military branch started to make small changes here and there, but they were slow and limited.
You could say a similar pace was taken in regard to the exoneration, which is well overdue.