This Year in History

1944

This Year in History - 1944

  • Bing Crosby wins a Best Actor Academy Award, starring as a Catholic priest in Going My Way, the highest-grossing film of the year.
  • A Liberty ship at Port Chicago in Suisun Bay County explodes while being loaded with 4,600 tons of explosives. More than 300 are killed and hundreds were injured in the blast, which broke windows in San Francisco and was felt as far away as Nevada.
  • More than 86 percent of California registered voters cast ballots in the presidential election. President Roosevelt defeats Thomas E. Dewey in the state, 56.5% to 43%.
  • Governor Earl Warren starts the California Veteran’s Commission, which is designed to help veterans’ re-entry into civilian life after World War II.
  • In February, Southern Pacific train service to Los Angeles is halted and 100 war plants are closed by power outages caused by a huge storm in Southern California.

photo courtesy of 

U.S. Naval Historical Center