port chicago l.a. ca. explosion august 1944.?

Question

request first hand perspective of the events at port chicago los angeles california explosion august 1944. tks.

Answer 1

Here is a link with two survivor interviews, or at least excerpts, and a link to President Clinton's pardon. I'm not familiar with the organization, so I can't vouch for its legitimacy
http://portchicagomutiny.com/personnel/personnel.html
http://portchicagomutiny.com/pardon.htm

This is a conspiracy-friendly online magazine, with some quotations from witnesses.
http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/portchicago.html

Legal statement on evidence/testimony taken from Port Chicago mutineers.
https://www.oah.org/pubs/magazine/deseg/exhibit%20a.html

NPR did a story including interviews half a century later with witnesses/survivors.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1054471

Airline pilot's testimony about observing the blast.
http://www.atomicarchive.com/Docs/ManhattanProject/PortChicago.shtml
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq80-3a.htm (I think this is the same testimony)

Chronology of Mare Island Mutiny Trial (Mare Island was a naval base nearby Port Chicago - both in San Pablo Bay, north of San Francisco). This summarizes some testimony from Pport Chicago workers.
http://www.oah.org/pubs/magazine/deseg/chronology.html

Answer 2

You have the wrong location.

Port Chicago, California was outside of San Francisco (closest big city) just past the Carquinez Straights near Concord CA. The reason it was built is because the Naval Ammunition Depot at Mare Island (Vallejo, CA) was unable to supply all of the ships need for the war effort. There was a large Naval Weapons Station in Concord, CA.

On the evening of 17 July 1944, the empty merchant ship SS Quinault Victory was prepared for loading on her maiden voyage. The SS E.A. Bryan, another merchant ship, had just returned from her first voyage and was loading across the platform from Quinault Victory. The holds were packed with high explosive and incendiary bombs, depth charges, and ammunition - 4,606 tons of ammunition in all. There were sixteen rail cars on the pier with another 429 tons. Working in the area were 320 cargo handlers, crewmen and sailors.

At 10:18 p.m., a hollow ring and the sound of splintering wood erupted from the pier, followed by an explosion that ripped apart the night sky. Witnesses said that a brilliant white flash shot into the air, accompanied by a loud, sharp report. A column of smoke billowed from the pier, and fire glowed orange and yellow. Flashing like fireworks, smaller explosions went off in the cloud as it rose. Within six seconds, a deeper explosion erupted as the contents of the E.A. Bryan detonated in one massive explosion.

Answer 3

Port Chicago was actually at Mare Island which is near San Francisco.

Answer 4

http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/pc/ has a link to a National Public Radio interview with survivors.