Government or official record
Port Chicago Naval Magazine Explosion
Naval History and Heritage Command
Cross-File evidence ledger
Where this source supports the record
Each entry separates the File’s editorial relevance note from its exact, section-level claims. A bibliography link without a direct claim is labeled plainly.
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Military events · 17 July 1944Open File evidence →
The Port Chicago Explosion, Refusal, and Exoneration
Port Chicago Naval Magazine explosion pier and national memorial · United States
Why editors use it hereOfficial Navy history of the blast, casualties, segregated work system, refusal, and military response.
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Quick read
Two explosions destroyed the ammunition-loading pier at Port Chicago Naval Magazine on 17 July 1944, killing 320 sailors and civilians.
Reviewed 24 July 2026 -
Trigger and conditions
At about 10:18 p.m., the SS E.
Reviewed 24 July 2026 -
Uncertainty
Official sources vary between 390 and approximately 400 injuries and between 10:18 and 10:19 p.m.
Reviewed 24 July 2026 -
Why it matters
Port Chicago connects workplace safety, military necessity, segregation, trauma, and the right to refuse dangerous work.
Reviewed 24 July 2026
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Quick read