On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion occurred at the ammunition depot of Port Chicago, Ca. It was the worst home front disaster in World War II. Over 10,000 tons of explosives detonated, sinking two ships and killing over 300 sailors, most of whom were African-American. Many of the sailors that died in the Port Chicago disaster are now buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery. Through the Veterans Legacy Program, students and faculty of San Francisco State University created a series of short films about the stories that they discovered at Golden Gate and San Francisco National Cemeteries. One of the films highlights the Port Chicago disaster and shares the legacies that came from it. For more information, see this Military.com article.
The Worst WWII Home Front Disaster
