Finally.
Port Chicago is regularly among the least visited NPS sites, because it's on an active army base. We first tried to visit in 2012, and have tried again every time we've both been in the San Francisco area since then. Finally, after failing most recently last year, I took advantage of the ranger's offer to let us know when there were tours available. And lo and behold, they had a two month period of openings - so we got a reservation, and planned a trip around visiting.
And - benefitted from it; the Port Chicago disaster was largely forgotten about for forty years, and the Port Chicago 50 almost completely forgotten about, until a professor found a flyer from the NAACP titled Remember Port Chicago. He started piecing together the history, interviewing those of the 50 still alive and willing to talk. But beyond the 50, there were 208 additional "sailors" (who weren't allowed to actually sail) who refused to work under unsafe conditions and without training, but who agreed to return to work on a promise of forgiveness - only to be court martialed. In 2024, on the 80th anniversary of the disaster, both the 50 and the 208 were exonerated, and the names of the 208 released. While none of them survived, a number of their descendants attended a ceremony at the memorial three days later.
If you can manage to visit, it's well worthwhile.
Oh, and in case you're curious - the 5 least visited NPS sites in 2018:
Aniakchak - 100 visitors
Mary McLeod Bethune - 109 visitors (but only because it was closed until December)
Rio Grande River - 330 visitors (but actually part of the Big Bend National Park, which has many, many more visitors)
Clara Barton - 425 (but closed much of the year)
Port Chicago - 653
