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{
    "localId": "608826144",
    "label": "Copy of a Report of the Office of Area Defense Coordinator Martinez, California July 17, 1944",
    "core": "doc",
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    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/608826144"
}

{
    "id": "608826144",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/608826144",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Copy of a Report of the Office of Area Defense Coordinator Martinez, California July 17, 1944",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/608826144",
    "collections": [
        "John A. Miller Papers",
        "Papers of John A. Miller Concerning the Port Chicago Naval Ammunition Depot"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "Port Chicago (Calif.)",
        "Department of the Navy. Twelfth Naval District. Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Ordnance Department. (1903 - ca. 09/18/1947)"
    ],
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    "naId": 608826144,
    "coverageEndDate": {
        "logicalDate": "1967-12-31",
        "year": 1967
    },
    "coverageStartDate": {
        "day": 17,
        "logicalDate": "1944-07-17",
        "month": 7,
        "year": 1944
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    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
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    "ocrText": "July 10, 1944\nDetailed report of the functioning of the Office of Area\nDefense Co-ordinator, Martinez, California, following an explosion\nat the Port Chicago Naval Ammunition Depot, at 10:19 P.M. JULY 17, '44.\n10:22 P.M. Area Coordinator John A. Miller arrived in office of\nthe Martinez Area Defense Headquarters.\n10:25 P.M.\nCalled placed to County-Coordinator Lester Bowers,\nAntioch 426. No contact made.\n10:35 P.M.\nRite McCarthy and Mrs. Catherine McCarthy reported to\ncontrol center. Not in operation yet and they reported\nin Area office for duty. They were placed at one of the\nthree priority telephone lines.\n10:37 P.M.\nCalled Antioch 426. Mrs. Bower advised Mr. Bower had\nleft immediately for the scene.\n10:38 P.M.\nNumerous calls inquiring damage. None official and\nall during night seme but henceforth no record will\nbe made this type of calls.\n10:41 P.M.\nCol. Rutten, Benecia Arsenal called to inquire extent\nof damage and offer all assistance.\n10:43 P.M.\nNapa County Coordinator H.G. Sawyer called from Napa\n13311 offering essistance, advising his location.\n10:48 P.M.\nJoe Joseph, Chief of Police, Crockett called offering\nhimself and group. Advised them proceed to Martinez.\n10:53 P.K.\nCol. Rutten edvised doctors and nurses enroute.\n10:58 P.M.\nCoordinator Sawyer advised doctors and nurses enroute.\n11:15 P.M.\nReceived advises power lines disrupted. PG&E advised\ntroubleshooters being essembled. Mr. Fryer gethering\nand dispatching them.\n11:18 P.M.\nMabel Bowen, Martinez Ambulance Corps. had ambulance\nat Memorial Hall, Port Chicago on duty.\n11:19 P.M.\nSutp. Schools B.O. Wilson appeared advising his wife\nassisting County Hospital and he was proceeding there\nas best way to assist.\n11:20 P.M.\nMiss Waterman, incharge of Marin Red Cross advised\nMarin Red Cross ready to move on monents notice. She\ncould be reached at San Anselmo and County Coordinator\nBordernaro awaiting our call.\n11:20 P.M.\nCoast Counties Gas had dispatched linemen from Concord\ninto the stricken district.\n11:25 P.M.\nMorgan Anderson, State Council of Defense phoned from\nS.F. sending nurses and leaving himself for the scene.\n11:30\nP.M.\nLarry Dufor of Solono County Hospital had dispatched\ntwo nursos to Contra Costa County Hospital.\n11:35 P.M.\nCol. Rutten phoned advising he had received information\nthat two ships had blown up at Port Chicago Naval\nAmmunition. This was first authentic information.\n11:45 P.M.\nMr. Rabenstoin, Martinez Defense Center desired infor-\nmation if coffee and other food could be assembled\nand transmitted.\n11:50 P.M.\nCalled Mrs. Hemphitt to ask her to investigate possi-\nbility of Red Cross attending to this detail.\n11:56 P.M.\nCounty Coordinator Robert Cantu of Sonoma County phonod\nto adviso two doctors and two nurses had loft his\ncounty enroute to County Hospital, Martinez, ready\nfor action.\n11:56 P.M. Clare Horner, Richmond Coordinator appeared personally\nandstayod n.oxtended time assistance on phones which\nnow vere pouring in. Gavo much help. Offered all\nRichond assistance we neodod. Horo on ground floor to\n11:59 P.H\nCapt. Pierco, Benecia regnal advised two ambulancos\nenroute.\n12:05 A.M.\nGoo. Burton.Red Supt. Sheriffs Office reported heavy\nblockado all rods loading Port Chicago. They wore mak-\ning somo hoadway to clear it up.\n12:05 A.M.\nMartinoz Community and Contra Costa County Hospitals\nreported heavy arival of casualties.\n12:06 A.M.\nLester Mullens ploned from Martinez Cantoen that they\nwere preparing cffoe.\n12:10 A.M.\nDr. Gibbons of State Modical O.C.D. phoned standing by\nat Bayview 1913 for orders or appoals.\n12:15 A.M.\nDeputy Coordinator S.F. Motropoliten Dofonse Council,\nJoe Murphy phoned to advise the control center was in\noperation and he could be reached thore, Markot 1735.\n12:17 a.m.\nSheriffs Office, Napa County, phoned reporting throe\nnurses and four doctors had left napa for Martinez."
}