Roe Island Light - California

Then there was Roe Island Lighthouse built in 1891 at the east end of Suisun Bay, 33 miles inland from the ocean. It is best remembered because of a terrible explosion that occurred on the eve of July 17, 1944 when two merchant ships at the Port Chicago ammunition Depot being loaded with thousnads of tons of ammo, exploded. The horrifying blast was just across the Sacramento River from the Roe Island station. The sky was filled with smoke and flame. Clocks stopped at 10 P.M., and many residents nearby thought the world had come to an end. As ambulances, fire trucks and rescue teams rushed to the scene they were aghast. Two ocean cargo ships, a train, two Coast Guards vessels, numerous buildings and 300 men had been blown to kingdom come.

Roe Island Light Station received major damage. Less than a year later on May 5, 1945, the station was deleted from the Coast Guard Light List.