World War II Homefront Era: 1940s: The Port Chicago Incident
These four sailors were stationed at Port Chicago, but survived the blast. ca. 1944. Photographer unknown. Gelatin silver print. Courtesy of African American Museum & Library at Oakland.
Three hundred and twenty sailors were killed in the Port Chicago explosion. Black sailors accounted for 202 of the 320 killed and 233 of the 390 injured. The Port Chicago deaths represented 15 percent of all African American casualties during World War II.