Port Chicago Explosion: The Largest WWII Homeland Disaster

On my previous post I discussed Operation Crossroads and included a controversial photo of an atomic bomb test cake.  A reader named Shirley Wilson, a professional cake designer from San Francisco, linked the plight of the sailors in an incident to the Montford Point Marines. I posted a portion of her comment and asked my readers if they knew about the incident in question. 

Some of my scholarly viewers automatically answered to themselves "Port Chicago."

Similarly, other scholarly viewers collectively shared a blank response. The incident was not publicized and was buried for over fifty years. It took investigations and testimonials to uncover this homeland disaster that became both a civil and human rights case. There now is a Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial.  So if you Googled and asked for help, or a lifeline, I will understand, because I myself didn't know about the case. Here is the fascinating story of Port Chicago...

Port Chicago Explosion: The Largest WWII Homeland Disaster

nps.gov

Port Chicago Naval Magazine was a segregated naval base located 40 miles east of San Francisco, CA. Black men were required to load ammunition and bombs onto ships. Ships were headed out to Pacific Rim troops during World War II. The Allies were desperate to stop the Japanese and other Axis powers that were raging massive destruction.

After World War I, the Navy excluded African Americans and replaced them with Filipinos. In 1932, the Navy permitted Blacks, but only in menial positions and of course, not as officers. Port Chicago had 1,400 Black enlisted men, 71 officers, 106 Marine Guards and 230 civilian employees. (Usmm.org)

sfgate.com

It was critical to load the Liberty and Victory ships 24 hours around the clock. Tragically, pressure was on to quickly dispatch munitions without any regard for safety or specialty training. It was reported that the enlisted men even waged contests to increase their output. The Black men toiled long hours and worked without facial masks to protect them from toxic dust. Furthermore, their supervisors were White officers who harbored discriminatory attitudes towards them. Navy survivor Morris Soublet* reported being called "boy" and the group of Negro men as "you people." 

usatoday.com

Can you imagine working in not only a hostile work environment, but employed around highly combustible materials, with no instruction on how to properly handle the munitions, and commanded to move quickly? The Black enlistees had some fears about working with the materials but blocked them out after the officers told them they would be safe "because the bombs did not have detonators on them." Clearly all these elements were a dangerous recipe for disaster. 

The E. A. Bryan had been moored at Port Chicago for four days, taking on ammunition and explosives night and day. Some 98 men of Division Three were hard at work loading the Bryan, and by 10:00 p.m. on 17th July the ship was loaded with some 4,600 tons of munitions including 1,780 tons of high explosives. (rense.com)

Rense.com also states:

In addition to the enlisted men present, there were nine Navy officers, 67 members of the crews of the two ships along with an Armed Guard detail of 29 men, five crew members of a Coast Guard fire barge, a Marine sentry and a number of civilian employees. The pier was congested with men, equipment, a locomotive, 16 railroad boxcars, and about 430 tons of bombs and projectiles waiting to be loaded. 

On that fateful day in July 17, 1944, a powerful explosion occurred and it registered 3.4 Richter scale. In fact, people that survived in the area and miles beyond thought an earthquake occurred. A large mushroom like cloud appeared and .an airplane pilot flying reported seeing debris pass by the size of a house. The blast was felt 200 miles away. Windows were shattered and structures in the town of Port Chicago were damaged. The death toll was 320 men (200 Black), and 390 Military and civilians injured. (233 Black). Property damage was 12 million dollars, a staggering sum at the time. 

nps.gov

The grim task of recovering bodies, attending funerals and memorials took place immediately after the tragedy. Amazingly enough, the White officers were praised and allowed leave, but the Black enlisted men were not. Surviving Black enlistees were sent to load another ship. The workers refused to work in such hazardous conditions. What happened next became the largest Naval mutiny trial in history, known as the Port Chicago Mutiny.

The Port Chicago Explosion is known as the largest WWII Homeland Disaster. Conspiracy theorists point to classified documents and describe the "mushroom cloud" that appeared; individuals involved in the creation of these bombs referred to subsequent explosions as "Port Chicago-like" explosions. 

What feelings do you have when you look at some of these pictures? What would you do if you were an enlisted man? Please share this post and don't forget to sign up to be notified for future posts.(Or subscribe via "Feedly")

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Next up: "Port Chicago Mutiny"

abc.net.au

Portchicagoexplosionblogspot.com
Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial 

Notes: 

wikipedia.org

history.com
ussmm.org
rense.com

*An Exploration of Our History: Port Chicago Video

See also:
Executive Order 8802 Bans Discrimination in The Defense Industry
Dad Decides to Become A Marine
Early African American Military Experiences

How The Negro Press Demanded Answers On The "Lost Battalion"

Upon finishing boot camp at Montford Point, Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, my father was very excited.  As a member of the 51st Defense Battalion, this unit had to prove that they were capable soldiers in combat. They would reverse the findings of the military report that cited that Negros were incompetent in battle. It was thirty long years since the 92nd Division's performance during World War I (1914-1918) that unfairly influenced military policy. Sentiments and beliefs systems were slowly starting to change for World War II.

Dad took a train from North Carolina to San Diego, California via the southern route of the United States. The year was 1943. San Diego, CA was the location of the Marines Corps military base. Of course, his battalion traveled Jim Crow style, which meant uniformed men of color in segregated train cars located at the rear of the train. Smoke and dust permeated the air of the rear train car; this was also where coal was placed into the engine.

Dad recounted how they stopped every four hours to exercise while on route to San Diego. Lunch was brought outside, because the colored men were not permitted to eat inside railroad dining cars. The white officers of the 51st Battalion, however ate inside the dining cars. Captured German prisoners of war traveled with better amenities and treatment than the Montford Point Marines. Meanwhile, the Colored enlisted men socialized with each other and developed a camaraderie. I will write more on the preferential treatment that Axis POWs received over African Americans in the future.

Source:123rf.com
Vintage Map of San Diego

When dad arrived in San Diego, CA, the 51st Defense Battalion were not immediately deployed. The military leaders were not exactly sure what to do with the men. Additionally, Dad had no idea where in the Pacific or when he was going to be shipped out during World War II. World War II contained two theatres of war: The Pacific and The European.

 The Allies consisted of the following countries: France, Britain, United States, and the Soviet Union. Allied countries were opposed by The Axis Powers. The Axis Powers were a military and political alliance between Germany, Italy and Japan. The Axis powers desired dominance in their respective area of Europe, Mediterranean and the Pacific. They promised not to intervene in each other's objectives and to stop the spread of Communism. Minor Axis countries were Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia and Slovakia. Collaborators for the Axis Powers were Vichy France, and Neutral but aiding the Axis was Spain. Italy ended up changing alliances.*

Source: www.regentsprep.org

Source:www.slideshare.net

 Of course, Americans at this time despised the Japanese for their attack at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii in the early morning hours of December 1941.
Headlines of this day were not very flattering and used derogatory terms. 

The leader of Nazi Germany was Adolph Hitler, who sanctioned hatred towards Jews, Catholics, Blacks, Jehovah Witnesses, etc. German propaganda at the time sanctioned the ideal of the "Master" Aryan Race which consisted of blond, blue eyed prototypes. Aryans were supposedly superior to all races and ethnicities. Adolph Hitler convinced the majority of his German people that the "Final Solution" would be in the best interests of the German Empire. "The Final Solution" was the horrific extermination of all Jews who Hitler believed to be the enemy.  Countries were invaded by the Axis Powers all around the world. So unsurprisingly, the 51st Defense Battalion were ready to go into battle against the Axis powers.

Montford Point Marines were given extensive praise during training. Dad still remembers seeing Sgt. Major Gilbert "Hashmark" Johnson (1905-1972) and vividly describes the patches for service that decorated his uniform. "Hashmark" Johnson was so named because he served with honor in the US Army, Navy AND Marines. Johnson was one of the first Black Marines and a drill instructor.  Obviously he was a formidable man with a strong presence. Dad always speaks about Hashmark Johnson with awe in his voice.

Source: www.montfordpointmarines.com
Sgt Major Gilbert "Hashmark" Johnson

"Man, we partied so hard,"  Dad exclaimed about his early days in San Diego.  "We went down to Tijuana, Mexico because it was so close to San Diego over the border. There were 35 cent tequilas, and we were having a good old time! Until the Pittsburgh Courier wrote an article asking about the whereabouts of the "Lost Battalion". The Pittsburgh Courier was a preeminent Negro newspaper that had a large readership across America. All of Black America was watching, and the story made big news during 1943.

Source: Blackusa.com

The story of the  "Lost Battalion" was important in many ways. Negro Athlete Jesse Owens triumphantly took home four gold medals in track events at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics in Hitler's Germany.  Similarly, the 51st Defense Battalion represented an important chapter in American History. The Negro were marginalized within American society through institutionalized racism. Black combat soldiers were ready to prevail against discrimination whether stateside, or anywhere in the world. The Pittsburgh Courier raised questions and demanded answers. Where was the 51st Defense Battalion and why were they missing in action?

Source: www.biography.com
Jesse Owens 

51st Defense Battalion member Clifford Primus' party days would be soon coming to an end.

*Source: www.ushmm.org

The Impact of The Negative Campaign Against the 92nd Division

Sometimes people want other people to fail. It is a simple as that. Negative campaigns are created to disseminate misinformation, ill-will, and can create major damage. Lies are told repeatedly and so often that the slanderers spewing the misinformation actually start believing the lies. The lies can damage an individual's or a group's reputation, and can place them in a dangerous situation.

The reason some individuals begin their negative campaign are many:  Financial gain, hatred, jealousy, retribution, power-- the list can be endless. Moreover, propaganda and rumor-mills are launched in order to cause confusion and division of loyalty. In modern society, people yearn for power and go to great lengths to achieve it because of its intoxicating effects. The group that is ostracized is tragically rendered powerless and treated as pariahs. However, negative campaigns can be terminated, reversed and eventually, the ultimate truth is revealed.

The culture of calumny does not end overnight. It starts with the courage of one to protest and to challenge. In a previous post I discussed how in World War I the French government awarded African American Soldiers Medal of Honor Awards ( Croix de Guerre) and not the American government.  I described at length the "Harlem Hellfighters", the relentlessly fierce American Army division (93rd) that fought in Europe. Sadly, one regiment was the scapegoat for Negros being viewed as not suitable in combat.

Source: www.goodreads.com

The 92nd division had a horrendous experience in World War I. The 92nd consisted of draftees and included four infantry regiments, three field artillery regiments, a trench mortar battery and three machine gun battalions, a general battalion, an engineer regiment. They received their training at Camp Funston at Fort Riley, Kansas at a segregated facility. The soldiers had a racial incident in their town and were unfairly admonished by their leader, General Robert Bullard, who dispatched  a scathing memo. The memo stated that, "White men made the division, and white men can break it easily if it became a troublemaker".* The 92nd were then sent overseas to France, where they were thrown into battle without an opportunity to develop camaraderie and little training with the French. The 92nd was unfamiliar with the terrain and under- equipped.

Consequently, the 92nd's 368th Infantry regiment did not do well during the Allied Meuse Argonne Offensive in September 1918. The 92rd suffered heavy casualties as a result of a deliberate lack of support. Scoffed their commander General Robert L. Bullard," If you need combat soldiers, and especially if you need them in a hurry, don't put your time upon Negroes." (Quoted by Ulysses Lee, United States Army in World War II: Special Studies: The Employment of Negro Troops. Washington: United States Government Printing Office 1966, p. 20.)

The 92nd Division dubbed themselves "The Buffalo Soldiers" in tribute to the famed Cavalries of the same name. The Buffalo Soldiers were brave African Americans Army soldiers that fought during the Spanish American War, patrolled National Parks, and secured the western frontier. German soldiers, on the other hand, referred to them as "Black Devils" (Schwartzer Teufel) and instituted their own negative campaign against the men. In battle, fliers in perfect English were launched airborne decrying that Negro soldiers should not fight for the English, French and especially America. It lambasted the African Americans in assisting a country that was allegedly "fighting for profit" and discriminated against Blacks. The 92nd were the subject of adverse campaigns from the Germans as well!

The 92nd Division had arrived in France during the latter stages of the war. It was their lot to be assigned the most active and well defended sectors of the front. As a result, the causalities were relatively high for the short period of combat. (www.portraitsinblack.com/buffalosoldiersfirstwar.html)

Members of the 92nd Division were also discredited by claims that they were rapists. Some were removed from their Division on trumped up charges and even court martialed. It took years for the charges to be cleared and the men exonerated.. (exhibitions.nypl.org/africanage/essay-world-war-i-html)



So a formal military policy for the next thirty years undermined Negro soldiers in combat as a result of a mere five days of fighting. Accounts were taken from biased Army officials, ignoring any victories,decorations, and barring testimony from Negro soldiers. The information was submitted to The War Department and the Army War College. (https:armyhistoryorg/09/fighting-for-respect-african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-1/)

Source: www.wolfsonian.org
Early positive WWI Recruitment Poster

The idea of Black soldiers and officers as failures festered postwar and until courageous Black leaders approached the United States Government. Journalists of course, were also instrumental in changing the status quo. When the United States entered World War War in 1941, men of all races and both genders were needed to help defeat the Axis Powers. I bring up the 92nd Division, and negative campaigns for a reason--  my father, a member of a the first World War II combat division, the 51st Battalion, was in a holding pattern. Dad had completed grueling boot camp at Montford Point, Camp LeJeune, NC, yet the 51st Battalion were not sent overseas initially. In fact, when I asked my father about this time period, he tells an interesting story...





Notes: *www.militaryheadgear.com/articles/10-American-WWI. "Segregation Policy and the Birth of the Blue Helmet."

The French decorated the 92nd's entire 1st Battalion of the 367th Infantry and awarded the Croix de Guerre. Other Black officers and enlisted men received the Distinguished Service Cross.

Glossary:
Cavalry-army component mounted on horseback
Infantry-is the branch of an army who fight on foot

Dad's Brother: "Uncle Ted, "Coach"

In my last post I described how my father, Clifford Primus, began his unforgettable odyssey to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina for Marine Boot Camp training. In a nutshell:  "Jim Crow" travel and then forced segregation with Marine Recruits that were busted for "Passing" (See Previous Post).  Dad stated that he got along well with these individuals that were "passing".  Whether Post World War II if these Marines classified themselves in American society as white, mixed, Negro, mulatto*, I do not know.

My father had a younger brother, Uncle Ted, that was was drafted into the Army during World War II. He was exempt from the military due to a high school football leg injury. My Uncle Ted's complete name was Theodore Roosevelt Primus and he ended up attending Florida Agricultural & Mechanical College (Now known as FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida. Many Primus family members attended this prestigious Historically Black College known for its academic reputation and of course, its famous Marching 100 Band.

Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com

Well, being named after a no nonsense US President who was famous for his quote, "Speak Softly But Carry A Big Stick",** was the perfect name for my uncle, as Uncle Ted did big things. He taught science, physical education, and special education in Broward County Florida, impacting many young adults lives. He also was a successful high school football coach. Source: Sun Sentinel Times, Dec. 28, 1988.

Uncle Ro, as my Dad called him, ( to my young ears at age eight it sounded like "Uncle Roll"), made history when his high school team, the Dillard Panthers,  played against a white high school team. It was a major event because varsity football was segregated. Major League Baseball, as many of you know, was segregated until Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. The famous intervarsity football match with my Uncle's team was in 1967.

Source: articles.elitefts.com

American Football, and I must make the distinction because I have international readers, is serious business in the state of Florida. Its warm climate makes practice year round conducive and children prepare for excelling at the sport at a very young age. Football is also a major part of Florida culture;  homecomings and games are exciting events. The battle of the bands at predominately African Americans high schools/ colleges display intricate showmanship in terms of R&B - hiphop music and band formation. For a prime example of this watch the 2002 movie "Drumline", featuring actors Zoe Saldana, Orlando Jones, and starring Nick Cannon. I included an excerpt of the movie to illustrate.

                                                   Final Battle of the Bands Scene, "Drumline"
                                                         

Six of Uncle Ted's players from his athletic teams went on play professional football with the National Football League. Ted Primus was well known in South Florida and at his funeral in 1988 a host of dignitaries and multitudes of mourners were in attendance. Uncle Ted "adopted" many troubled young students and encouraged them to remain in school. Coach emphasized education over athletics. His legacy remains.





*Mulatto- Term used to describe a bi-racial, multi-racial, mixed individual. Outdated, and considered offensive because it is derived from the Spanish word for mule. However, some claim the origins of the word are Arabic for muwallad, mixed ancestery.  Sources: askdefine.com, mixedfolks.com/names, a comprehensive source for multiracial people.


** Former President Theodore Roosevelt attributed this quote to a West African Proverb, Source: theodoreroosevelt.org

*** Uncle Ted  had a trucking business that transported oranges from Florida to New York, eliminating the middle man. He also was involved in real estate, furthering dispelling the "dumb jock myth".

Jim Crow and Segregation

                                                                 Source: socialstudiesforkids.com



Can you imagine living your entire adult life making a sacrifice for your country and not even being acknowledged? Some people get upset when they hold open the door for someone and they don't even get a thank you. Or when driving, a driver might let another car enter in front of them in traffic. Where is the courtesy wave, you might ask? The door and driving incidents are slights that one can basically brush off. But putting your human life on the line is pretty serious. The thousands of African American who enlisted in the Marines during the 1940's did so willingly, and my father insisted that he wanted to serve as a soldier in combat.

What is also interesting to note is that the United States had Jim Crow Laws, which were laws that prohibited Blacks from living in certain neighborhoods, to work in certain occupations, or to eat in restaurants. Segregation was the law of the land and water fountains, rest rooms, movie theaters, schools, buses, and trains insured that races were kept apart. Interracial marriages were illegal and a Negro could be arrested if they broke these laws. Jim Crow Laws were intense in the South, where slavery had a stronghold. The South was considered the area of the country below the Mason- Dixie in Maryland. Northern states, which did not allow slavery had discrimination as well, but the discrimination was less intense, covert and subtle.

When discussing Jim Crow with my students, many of them wondered why Blacks were treated so badly during these times. I would explain that in order to enslave someone, you had to make them feel inferior. You  had to make sure that their living conditions were substandard, and not allow them to read or congregate. Families were separated. Rules were established to make Negros "know their place". Tragically, Negros were beaten if they did not obey their slave masters.

The Civil War (1861-1865) was fought to preserve the country, because Southern states seceded over the issue of slavery. Enslaved Africans provided free labor for wealthy Southern plantation owners. Blacks worked long hours picking cotton and farming, creating a thriving economy. Enslaved Africans often tried to escape slavery by fleeing to the North. Sophisticated networks and codes were enabled to outsmart slave owners and slave catchers. Both Northern Blacks and Whites participated in the Abolitionist Movement, a movement that included women to officially end slavery. Once the Civil War ended and slaves were free, the same Segregation Laws persisted. Montford Point Marines were/are descendants of enslaved Africans. Such were the conditions that many of Montford Point Marines grew up in: discrimination and Jim Crow.

                                                           " Separate But Not Equal"                      
                                                               Source: worldfamousphotos.com

But despite this, Montford Point Marines signed up to be a recruits. They signed up and served their country even though they were treated like second class citizens. The Montford Point Marines were some of the  brightest African American men selected.  According to my dad, he loved his dress blue Marine Uniform. He was proud to wear it when he returned to Florida, but it was challenging to wear the heavy wool jacket in the humid weather!  He wore it during a visit  home in July, parading his uniform up and down Second Avenue in Daytona.

Introduction

Hello all! This is my first post about the Montford Point Marines and  I decided to keep it brief. It is the day after Thanksgiving and I am at my parents house in Connecticut. When you walk into our split level home it is like entering a shrine, because my father is a Montford Point Marine and he received a Congressional Medal of Honor in June of 2012. Inside our living room besides the stacks of Jet and Ebony Magazines, VFW, (Veterans of Foreign War) there are special items in glass cases and frames. There is his special United States Flag, and  letters from our House of Representatives and one of our Senators. There is another official letter from the US Speaker of the House as well. Photos of my dad are displayed, along with the red, white and blue ribbon that held his Medal of Honor. The actual medal is in a safe deposit box ( My father is no fool.)
Did you know it is a felony to steal a Medal of Honor from a recipient? I also posted an image of the medal; bronze replicas are available from the US Mint  from collectors. Some of you are curious about the Montford Point Marines so as a regular reader to this blog you will be privy to my information. Happy Holiday Season!

DLP