Exonerates Archives

Justice Delivered: Navy Exonerates WWII Sailors Wrongfully Convicted in Port Chicago Disaster

Washington, D.C. — In a significant rectification of a long-standing military injustice, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro recently signed an exoneration order for the sailors involved in the 1944 Port Chicago disaster, marking an end to their decades-long struggle for justice. This naval catastrophe, one of the deadliest home-front incidents during World War II, occurred at an ammunition depot near San Francisco, resulting in the death of 320 personnel—most of whom were African American. The …

Justice at Last: U.S. Navy Exonerates Black Sailors on 80th Anniversary of Port Chicago Tragedy

Port Chicago, California — An emotional remembrance marked the 80th anniversary of the 1944 Port Chicago explosion on Saturday, a tragic event that claimed the lives of over 300 sailors and civilians, most of whom were Black. The memorial was deeply significant this year following the recent exoneration of 256 Black sailors unjustly punished in the aftermath of the catastrophe. The explosion, one of World War II’s most tragic domestic military accidents, occurred on July …

Navy Rights Historical Wrongs: Exonerates 256 Black Sailors from 1944 Port Chicago Incident After 80 Years

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has officially cleared the names of 256 Black sailors who faced racial discrimination and unjust punishments following a tragic explosion at a California naval facility in 1944, which killed 320 people and left another 400 injured. The decision, announced on the 80th anniversary of the disaster at Port Chicago Naval Magazine, aims to correct a historic wrong rooted in racial injustice. On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion ripped through …