Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosion

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosi
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 06:38 PM

I ran across the Hood explosion when a veteran who was there asked me about it. He was certain that because there was a mushroom-shaped cloud a nuclear weapon had gone off. No matter what I told him I couldn't convince him that mushroom-shaped clouds aren't the sole indicator of a nuke blast -- that any explosion can cause one.

Perhaps it's my makeup or my interest in history, but I seem to know a lot about explosive disasters....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosion
From: Peace
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 03:27 AM

Dear Louis,

That is an awful memory to have, but it seems you were in a risky business. Needless to say, I am pleased you are here to post, and looking at the devastation, that's a providential thing I think. I admit that I have never understood the love people have for the sea. I find myself at home in fairly harsh environments--on land; put me on the water and I become a very helpless individual. I admire those who can go on the ocean; those who understand salt water. Other than one time with an old fellow off Burin Bay Arm, I have never been on the ocean and I hope not to offend, but ya gotta be crazy to do that. Scares the heck outta me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosi
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 31 Dec 05 - 12:26 PM

Should have posted this, too --

http://www.npr.org/search.php?text=%22Port+Chicago%22

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosi
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 31 Dec 05 - 12:25 PM

I know what I heard was more recent than this but --

All Things Considered, December 23, 1999 · NPR's Neal Conan reports on President Clinton's pardon of a man court-martialed for mutiny in World War Two. Freddie Meeks was one of 50 black sailors who refused to resume loading ammunition on a ship after 320 men, most of them black sailors, were killed in an explosion. The sailors who refused to follow the orders were convicted of mutiny. A Navy review of the case in 1994 found that race played a part in the incident. The now-elderly Freddie Meeks is the only one who asked for a pardon, and is one of only two known survivors.

I think it may have been Freddie Meeks I heard interviewed.

Linn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosi
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 31 Dec 05 - 12:22 PM

Heard or read about this for the first time sometime this past year -- New Yorker article? Something on NPR? I think it may have been the latter, with me listening while in the car at night. But the imagery was so vivid (from a survivor) that I can "see" it in my mind.

I believe it was a memory of one of the black laborers.

I'll try searching the NPR website.

Linn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosion
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Dec 05 - 12:14 PM

Chilling photographs.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosion
From: Louie Roy
Date: 31 Dec 05 - 11:25 AM

Peace your picture of the explosion of the Mount Hood brought back memories.I was in a whale boat about 3000 yards away going over to a liberty island to relax and have our ration of 3 bottles of (ABC Beer Aztec Brewing Company)when this explosion happened and believe me I don't know what a tital wave would be like but there were waves that went through Manus Harbor that I don't want to experience again.We were told at the time that there were 2 Tin Cans tied up 1 on each side and both of them of course were also destroyed.There were 1 officer and 17 men off of the Mount Hood that survived the explosion and they had left the ship about 30 minutes before the explosion to go and pick up mail.Thanks Peace for the memory Louie Roy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosion
From: Peace
Date: 31 Dec 05 - 02:38 AM

My apologies. It's a book for sale. However, it might be worth the purchase price to people who keep track of naval history.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosion
From: Peace
Date: 31 Dec 05 - 02:35 AM

'The Last Wave from Port Chicago
"The result of a 20 year investigation into the July 17, 1944 explosion at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine. This web-based book chronicles the total history of the explosion and connections with Los Alamos and the Manhattan Project."
By Peter Vogel
[The explosion accounted for 15% of all African-American causalities in World War II.]'

Link here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosion
From: Peace
Date: 31 Dec 05 - 02:29 AM

Photo here.

. . . from here.

Scroll down and ignore the popups.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosi
From: open mike
Date: 31 Dec 05 - 01:37 AM

song challenge--

it was in the summer of 44
the nation and the world were at war
the ammo loaders said we will work no more
since the explosion at the port.

they raced to load the bombs on board
two ships being loaded there on the pier
tons of munitions waiting on shore
to be shipped out of the port

It seems there should bve a song about this..
So here is a start...

song writing is not my forte'
but i jsut want to plant the seed...
see what y'all can add (or subtract!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosion
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 04:54 PM

There was indeed a protest by the sailors about returning to work under such dangerous conditions, which was declared a mutiny by the powers that be. And because most of the sailors were black there was a racist element reflected in how the protest was characterized and resolved.

I'm not aware of any protest songs but it's interesting history to review.

Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr Req: Port Chicago Ca1944 ammo ship explosion
From: open mike
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 03:44 PM

The discussion about the ammunition ship explosion in Halifax in 1917
reminded me of this ww2 disaster in California. Mostly black laborers
(military?) were emplpoyed at this s.f. bay area ammunition depot.
320 were killed in an explosion...said to be the worst Stateside
naval disaster in United States history.
(Google Port Chicago.) Have any songs been written
about this? July 17, 1944 ammunition ship explosion at the
Port Chicago Naval Ammunition Depot,Suisun Bay, California.
There is a memorial to this event at the Concord Naval Weapons Station.

there was a huge mutiny after this event.