The copy of this document from the National Archives that I have to work from is a poor reproduction that is blurred and nearly unreadable in places. Almost the entire text has been teased out from context; however, personal names and serial numbers do not yield to this kind of analysis. In most places I have simply rendered my best guess; on a few occasions I have had to enter "[...]" to indicate where I can't even guess. Please keep this in mind when viewing the casualty lists: names may be inadvertently misspelled and service numbers may be wrong.

I have enforced consistent usage of "SS" and "U.S." and done some minor reformatting in the list of civilian casualties. Otherwise, I have attempted to retain the spelling, punctuation, and format -- including most (not all) of the "errors" and inconsistencies you will find here...

Court of Inquiry
Appointed by the Commandant of the Twelfth Naval District
To Investigate the Facts Surrounding
The Explosion of 17 July 1944

Findings of Facts, Opinion, and Recommendations

The court, having thoroughly inquired into all the facts and circumstances connected with the allegations contained in the precept and having considered the evidence adduced, finds as follows:

FINDING OF FACTS

1. GENERAL FINDING: That explosions occurred at the U.S. Naval Magazine, Port Chicago, California, involving 429 tons of munitions (which contained 146 tons of high explosives and 10.75 tons of smokeless powder) on the ship pier, and 4,606 tons of munitions (which contained 1760 tons of high explosives and 199 tons of smokeless powder) on the S.S. E. A. BRYAN moored to the ship pier, at or about 2219, Pacific War Time, 17 July 1944, resulting in the total destruction of three vessels; namely, the S.S. E. A. BRYAN, valued at $1,600,000; the S.S. QUINAULT VICTORY, valued at $2,850,000; the US Coast Guard fire barge No. 60014-F of the value of $34,691.44; and the constructive total loss of the US YP MIAHELO II, of the value of $6,000, all the property of the US Government, and damage and destruction of other property of the US Government in the amount of $5,401,343.30; the total damage to US Government property amounting to $9.892,034.74; damage to the MS REDLINE owned by the Union Oil Company for which claim has been filed in the sum of $221,121.25; damage to small craft for which claims have been filed in the sum of $2,362.13, all of which original claims for damages to small craft have been delivered to the Board of Investigation for handling; the loss of 10 officers and 231 enlisted personnel of the US Navy and US Naval Reserve, of which the bodies of 7 officers and 34 enlisted men have been identified, and of which 3 officers and 197 enlisted personnel are missing; the death of one enlisted man of the US Marine Corps Reserve, his body having been identified; the loss of 5 enlisted personnel of the US Coast Guard and US Coast Guard Reserve, of which the bodies of 2 have been identified and of which 3 are missing; the loss of 67 members of the US Maritime Service, of which the bodies of 3 have been identified and 64 are missing; the loss of 3 civil service employees of the US Navy, the body of one having been identified and 2 are missing; and the death of 3 civilians, their bodies having been identified; the total identified dead numbering 51 and the total missing numbering 269; and personal injuries to 4 officers and 233 enlisted men of the US Navy and US Naval Reserve, 6 enlisted personnel of the US Marine Corps and US Marine Corps Reserve, 4 enlisted personnel of the US Coast Guard and US Coast Guard Reserve, 5 members of the US Maritime Service, 22 civil service employees of the US Navy, and 3 civil service employees of the US Army; and personal injuries, superficial and permanent, to 113 civilians, of whom 69 have filed claims, 54 of the latter having designated damages in the total sum of $121,999.04, all of which claims for death and personal injuries have been delivered to the Board of Investigation for handling pursuant to instruction of the Convening Authority.

2. INTENT - FAULT - NEGLIGENCE: That the evidence does not show that there was any intent, fault, negligence, or inefficiency of any person or person in the naval services or connected therewith, or any other person, which caused the explosions.

3. GENERAL FACTS CONCERNING NAVAL MAGAZINE: That the general facts concerning the Naval Magazine, Port Chicago, up to the time of ht explosion were as follows:

4. OTHER ACTIVITIES: The other activities had duties pertaining to operations at Port Chicago as follows:

5. OPERATION DETAILS: That the details of operations at Port Chicago were as follows:

6. FACTUAL DETAILS PRIOR TO EXPLOSION: That the pertinent details just prior to the explosion were as follows:


Exhibit No. 74

7. THE EXPLOSION: Because of the magnitude and intensity of the explosion, all persons who were in a position to observe the act or acts actually causing the initiation of the explosion were lost. All material evidence which might indicate the chain of circumstances in the initiating explosion were lost. That the general facts concerning the explosion are as follows:

8. SITUATION AFTER EXPLOSION: That the handling of the situation after the explosion was, as follows:

9. CHARACTER OF DAMAGES TO INSTALLATIONS:

10. IDENTIFIED DEAD: That as result of said explosions 7 officers and 34 enlisted personnel of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Naval Reserve, one enlisted man of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2 enlisted personnel of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, one civil service employee of the U.S. Navy, 3 personnel of the U.S. Maritime Service (members of the crew of the S.S. QUINAULT VICTORY) and 3 civilians were killed; the court viewed the remains and their bodies were identified. Their names, rank or rate, serial or service number, or occupation are, as follows:

11. UNIDENTIFIED DEAD AND MISSING That as a result of said explosions, 3 officers and 197 enlisted personnel of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Naval Reserve, 3 enlisted personnel of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, 2 civil service employees of the U.S. Navy, 64 personnel of the U.S. Maritime Service (members of the crews of the S.S. QUINAULT VICTORY and S.S. E. A. BRYAN) were on the pier or ships being worked at the time of the explosion according to the best information available, have not been seen since, and are missing. Of the above, 28 unidentifiable bodies were recovered and viewed by the court. Their names, rank or rate, serial or service number, or occupation being as follows:

12. PERSONAL INJURIES: That most of the superficial personal injuries were inflicted by glass from shattered windows. The known injured are, as follows: