,,iv  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #di  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se   
,,( ,,repres5tatives  ,june #aa1        
#bjai,mr4 ,de,saulnier 7= himself & ,ms4
 ,lee ( ,cali=nia7 submitt$ ! foll[+    
concurr5t resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! 
,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices            
,,concurr5t ,,resolution  ,recogniz+ !  
victims ( ! ,port ,*icago explosion (   
,july #ag1 #aidd1 ! #ge? anniv]s>y ( !  
greate/ homel& loss ( life ( ,_w ,w>    
,,ii1 & exon]at+ ! #ej ,african-,am]ican
 sailors unju/ly c\rt-m>tial$ by !      
,navy4  ,:]eas ! ,port ,*icago ,naval   
,magaz9e 9 ,contra ,co/a ,c\nty1        
,cali=nia1 0 a vital supply facility = !
 ,navy dur+ ,_w ,w> ,,ii1 %ipp+ ord9ance
 = use 9 ! ,pacific ,!at]2 ,:]eas "u !  
rules gov]n+ ! ,navy at ! "t1 ! ,port   
,*icago ,naval ,magaz9e 0 op]at$ z a    
segregat$ facility 9 :i* und]tra9$ &    
poorly equipp$ ,african-,am]ican        
sailors1 "u ! sup]vision ( ,:ite (fic]s1
 exclusively conduct$ ! haz>d\s task (  
load+ munitions abo>d %ips2 ,:]eas !re  

_h be5 num]\s compla9ts & w>n+s ab\t !  
unsafe nature ( ! load+ op]ations1      
includ+ ! conduct ( conte/s by ,:ite    
(fic]s to a*ieve ! mo/ rapid load+ (    
%ips despite ! inh]5t dang]s involv$ 9  
su* actions2 ,:]eas on ! night ( ,july  
#ag1 #aidd1 ! ,port ,*icago ,naval      
,magaz9e & mu* ( ! t[n ( ,port ,*icago 7
 de/roy$ by a cataclysmic explosion t   
kill$ #cbj m51 #bjb ( :om 7             
,african-,am]ican enli/$ m52 ,:]eas ^!  
losses on a s+le night repres5t$ "o-fif?
 ( all ,african-,am]ican naval          
casualties dur+ ,_w ,w> ,,ii2 ,:]eas    
foll[+ ! cata/rophe1 none ( !           
,african-,am]ican survivors 0 provid$   
survivor leave or o!r recup]ative       
s]vices provid$ to ! ,:ite p]sonnel1    
includ+ ! (fic]s2 ,:]eas                
,african-,am]ican survivors ( !         
explosion 7 ord]$ back to ! ,port       
,*icago site to conduct cleanup         
op]ations2 ,:]eas on ,augu/ #i1 #aidd1 )
 no cause hav+ be5 det]m9$ = ! explosion
 & no additional tra9+ hav+ be5 provid$ 

to ! ,african-,am]ican load]s1 #cbh m5 f
 ?ree divisions 7 ord]$ to ! load+ pi]  
at ! ne>by ,m>e ,isl&1 :i* s]v$ z !     
,port ,*icago replacem5t facility2      
,:]eas _m ( ! m5 express$ conc]n ab\t ! 
inadequacy ( safety proc$ures & tra9+1  
lead+ to #beh be+ arre/$ & conf9$ = ?ree
 days on a l>ge b>ge ti]$ to ! pi]2     
,:]eas ! conf9$ sailors 7 ?reat5$ )     
prosecution & pot5tial execution1 lead+ 
#bjh to return to "w2 ,:]eas ! #ej :o   
refus$ to return to load+ op]ations 7   
subject$ to ! l>ge/ mass mut9y trial 9  
naval hi/ory1 :i* result$1 on ,octob]   
#bd1 #aidd1 9 a conviction on ! *>ge (  
mut9y & a s5t5ce ( up to #ae ye>s       
imprisonm5t & di%onorable dis*>ge f !   
,navy2 ,:]eas aft] appeals & widespread 
prote/s 9 ,janu>y #aidf1 :i* includ$ !  
p>ticipation ( future ,supreme ,c\rt    
,ju/ice ,?urgood ,m>%all & =m] ,fir/    
,lady ,eleanor ,roosevelt1 ! ,port      
,*icago m5 7 releas$ f prison b _!      
convictions rema9$ on _! records2 ,:]eas
 9 a #aiid inve/igation1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates

 ,navy /at$ t !re is no d\bt t racial   
prejudice 0 responsible = ! po/+ ( only 
,african-,am]ican enli/$ p]sonnel to    
load+ divisions at ,port ,*icago2 ,:]eas
 ! unfairness ( ! ,port ,*icago mut9y   
prosecution w\ld ultimately s]ve z "o ( 
! cataly/s = ! #aidh ,executive ,ord]   
requir+ desegregation ( ! ,arm$         
,s]vices2 ,:]eas ! ,committee on        
,natural ,res\rces ( ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives conduct$ he>+s on !     
,port ,*icago case 9 #aiic &1 9 #aiid1  
,congress1 on a bip>tisan basis1 pass$  
legislation creat+ ! ,port ,*icago      
,national ,memorial z a feature ( !     
,national ,p>k ,s]vice1 includ+ plaques 
commemorat+ ^? :o lo/ _! lives at ! site
 9 #aidd2 ,:]eas 9 #aiii1 a p>don 0     
grant$ to "o ( ! few surviv+ memb]s ( ! 
,port ,*icago #ej1 ,fr$die ,meeks1 by   
,presid5t ,william ,cl9ton foll[+ a     
?or\gh review ( ! case2 ,:]eas s9ce     
#aiii1 sub/antial legal1 academic1 &    
j\rnali/ic inquiry has docum5t$ ! inh]5t
 racial motivation beh9d ! op]ations at 

,port ,*icago & ! prosecution ( ! ,port 
,*icago #ej2 ,:]eas on ,decemb] #af1    
#bjae1 ! ,secret>y ( ! ,navy1 !         
,honorable ,ray ,mabus1 wrote to !      
,presid5t /rongly support+ executive    
action 9 favor ( ! #di rema9+ ,sailors )
 g5]al c\rt-m>tial convictions or ! #bjg
 ) summ>y c\rt-m>tial convictions ''' 9 
light ( ! well docum5t$ *all5ges        
associat$ ) uni=m$ s]vice by ,african   
,am]icans dur+ t era42 ,:]eas 9 #bjjj1  
,congress approv$ ,s4,j4 ,res4 #bf to   
exon]ate ,capta9 ,*>les ,b4 ,mc,vay     
,,iii1 capta9 ( ! ,,uss ,indianapolis1 =
 8 wrongful c\rt m>tial1 & ,presid5t    
,william ,cl9ton sign$ t resolution on  
,octob] #cj1 #bjjj2 ,:]eas ! language ( 
t resolution 0 enact$ z section #ede ( !
 ,floyd ,d4 ,sp5ce ,national ,def5se    
,au?orization ,act = ,fiscal ,ye> #bjja 
7,public ,law #ajf-cih71 includ+        
language t ,capta9 ,mc,vay's milit>y    
record %\ld n[ reflect t he is exon]at$ 
= ! loss ( ! ,,uss ,indianapolis & s _m 
( h] crew2 & ,:]eas on ,july #ag1 #bjai1

 ! ,nation w m>k ! #ge? anniv]s>y ( !   
,port ,*icago disa/]1 & ! unju/ &       
racially motivat$ convictions rema9 on !
 records ( ! ,port ,*icago #ej3 ,n[1    
!re=e1 be x  ,t ,congress-- 7#a7        
recognizes ! s]vice & sacrifice ( ^? :o 
s]v$ & p]i%$ at ,port ,*icago dur+ ,_w  
,w> ,,ii2  7#b7 h]eby & =ev] exon]ates !
 ,port ,*icago sailors ( ! *>ge ( mut9y 
aga9/ ! ,unit$ ,/ates & any & all o!r   
*>ges br\ght aga9/ !m 9 ! aft]ma? ( !   
,july #ag1 #aidd1 explosion2  7#c7      
upgrades ! g5]al & summ>y dis*>ges issu$
 to ea* ( ! ,port ,*icago sailors to    
honorable dis*>ges2 &  7#d7 directs !   
,secret>y ( ! ,navy to place a lett]    
atte/+ to ^! actions 9 ! file ( ea* ( ! 
,port ,*icago sailors & to notify any   
surviv+ family memb]s ( ^! actions4