Largest Homeland Disaster during World War II.

On the evening of July 17, 1944, residents in the San Francisco east bay area were jolted awake by a massive explosion that lit up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were instantly killed when the munitions ships they were loading with ammunition for the Pacific theatre troops blew up.

Port Chicago National Memorial is about many things. It's about the tragedy of loss of life. It's about discrimination, segregation and the very beginnings of civil rights for all Americans. It's also about the coming together as a nation to learn from our past mistakes.