; Whereas the Navy has concluded that there can be no doubt that racial prejudice was responsible for the posting of Afro-American enlisted personnel to the loading divisions at Port Chicago ; Whereas similar racial prejudicial bias has been documented in the conduct of the trial that resulted in the court-martial of the sailors at Port Chicago; Whereas virtually all of the convicted sailors were released from prison early in 1946 and discharged under honorable conditions , and that the Navy announced then that race would no longer be a factor in filling its jobs; Whereas, in 1999, Freddie Meeks was pardoned by President Bill Clinton in recognition of the injustice he suffered as one of the convicted sailors; Whereas Mr. Meeks said at the time of his pardon, After all these years, the world should know what happened at Port Chicago. It should be cleared up that we did not commit mutiny, and we were charged with that because of our race. ; Whereas, in 2003, the National Park Service dedicated the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial at the disaster site; Whereas the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial is not only a tribute to the 320 men who died in this World War II explosion, but it also became the touchstone for desegregation in the military and the beginning of civil rights for all Americans; Whereas in a July 17, 2014, letter recognizing the 70th anniversary of the tragedy, President Barack Obama, in regards to the African-American sailors at Port Chicago, stated faced with tremendous obstacles, they fought on two fronts—for freedom and equality at home ; and Whereas while all sailors involved in the Port Chicago cases have passed away, family members and friends continue to request that the sailors be cleared of all charges: Now, therefore, be it