Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, Military memorial in Contra Costa County, United States.
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial is a 2-hectare memorial at the Military Ocean Terminal Concord, on the former Tidal Area of the Concord Naval Weapons Station. It stands where the naval magazine exploded on July 17, 1944, killing 320 sailors and civilians. A memorial chapel with stained-glass windows depicting World War II operations is on the grounds.
The memorial commemorates the explosion of July 17, 1944, when over 300 service members died and hundreds more were injured at the munitions facility. This event became one of the deadliest accidents at a military installation during World War II.
Most of the 320 sailors killed on July 17, 1944, were African American sailors loading ammunition in a racially segregated Navy. The explosion and the subsequent mutiny trial of 50 survivors became catalysts for the Navy's desegregation after the war. The memorial chapel has stained-glass windows depicting World War II operations.
Visitors must schedule guided tours at least two weeks in advance with the National Park Service due to access restrictions at this active military facility. It is helpful to contact the site beforehand to confirm tour availability and any specific entry requirements.
The memorial was authorized by Pub. L. 102–562 on October 28, 1992, dedicated in 1994, and became an official unit of the National Park System on October 28, 2009. The Port Chicago Committee wants to expand it to 250 acres of the former waterfront, possibly including 1940s railroad revetments, old boxcars and the memorial chapel with stained-glass windows showing World War II operations.
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