News Release

National Park Service to Commemorate 78th Anniversary of the Port Chicago Explosion

Date: May 27, 2022
Contact: Victoria Starling, 925-228-8860 x6520

Concord, Calif. – The National Park Service, in collaboration with the Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial, and the U.S. Army’s 834^th Transportation Battalion, invites you to join the annual Port Chicago Commemoration on July 16, 2022, at 10 a.m. We will honor the 320 men who lost their lives in the largest WWII military disaster on the home front.  

This year’s event is an opportunity for friends, family, and others interested in the Port Chicago disaster and its aftermath to join in a day of remembrance. The events following the disaster led to a work stoppage and the largest mutiny trial in U.S. naval history. The response of African American communities to these events exposed the shameful injustices of racism and illuminated the issues of segregation and racial inequality in the military. Today, the memorial serves not only as a place to honor those who lost their lives, but also as a springboard for exploring social justice in our society. 

The event will be held at Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO), which is an active military base, requiring all visitors to have a reservation and a security check. Visitors age 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult. When making a reservation, please be ready to submit the following information for all attendees: 

•Last Name, First Name, Middle Name (for those with no middle name put “NMN”) 
•Date of Birth 
•State issued driver's license or identification number & state issued (anyone under the age of 18 must put the word “minor” instead of an identification number) 
•E-Mail Address 
•Daytime Phone Number 

Reservations are required and space is limited. Reservations must be made before July 8, 2022, by visiting the following secure website: https://tinyurl.com/29vnhnh3  

For inquiries, please leave a voicemail message at 925-228-8860 x6520 or e-mail us at [e-mail]. For more information about the event, please visit www.nps.gov/poch.www.nps.gov 

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial was established as a National Memorial to honor the courage and commitment of the sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, Merchant Marine, and civilians killed and injured in the largest homeland disaster during World War II. On July 17, 1944, 320 men, over 200 of whom were African Americans, were instantly killed when a loaded munitions ship blew up during loading operations at the site. Learn more at www.nps.gov/POCH   

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.