On this Memorial Day, we remember the worst stateside disaster of World War II and the dark cloud of injustice that hung over dozens of Black sailors for the decades that followed. Charlie D'Agata reports on the long fight for equality for the group of service members known as the Port Chicago 50.

Illinois

The Port Chicago disaster in Northern California during World War II resulted in the deaths of 320 people, most of whom were African-American sailors tasked with loading ammunition under unsafe conditions. Following the explosion, 50 Black sailors, known as the Port Chicago 50, were convicted of mutiny after refusing to return to similar dangerous work, while white sailors were granted leave.

For decades, these convictions cast a shadow over the men's lives and their families. Recently, the U.S. Navy officially exonerated the Port Chicago 50, acknowledging their actions as justified and recognizing their bravery. Family members, including Carol Cherry, have expressed pride and relief at the long-overdue justice.

Injustice followed dozens of Black sailors for 80 years

Carol Cherry never knew her father Cyril was a central character in one of the darkest chapters of American military history until long after his death. Something she found out from her sister. I said, stop playing. And she was like, no, he didn't tell you he went to jail. I said, for what? She said, mutiny. In fact, the largest naval mutiny in American history. It was July 1944. World War II was raging in the Pacific. U.S. forces were in desperate need of ammunition. Port Chicago in Northern California became a critical supply point. Those who loaded the ammunition were African-American exclusively. The Navy was segregated. And naval historian Dr. Regina Akers says black sailors got the toughest, most dangerous assignments. Not that they didn't want to do their jobs. This is so important. Why only African-Americans load an ammunition? They repeatedly warned their white officers that safety conditions were lax. And then this happened. There were two explosions. The entire loading area was completely decimated. 320 people were killed, mostly African-Americans, 390 more injured. The white sailors were granted leave off. The black sailors were ordered back to work loading ammunition at another port. 258 sailors refused, but after threats, most complied. But 50 men stood their ground. They became known as the Port Chicago 50. They were charged and convicted of mutiny in a mass summary court-martial, sentenced to hard labor. Including Carol Cherry's father, Cyril Shepherd, sentenced to prison for almost two years at the age of 20. He didn't have a blemish on his record until this happened. 80 years later, Carlos Del Toro, who was secretary of the U.S. Navy at the time, exonerated the black sailors. They took the right course of action by denying to go back to work under similar circumstances. Yet they lived and died with this dark cloud. And that's the unfortunate part about this. And I pray that an exoneration will bring peace to their souls and bring peace to their family members. In July, Carol Cherry was presented with a flag at a memorial ceremony at Port Chicago. I am so proud of that flag. It now sits on her shelf, a shrine to her father. And I thank my pop for what he did. I'm so proud of him. And I'm so happy for where we are at this moment. I wish he was here to see it. And wishes she could tell him justice was finally done. And the Navy now says her pop was a hero. For Eye on America, this is Charlie Daggett in Sycamore, Illinois.

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