This was the Black Tom explosion. Divers recovered munitions from New York Harbor after the explosion. We must not again be caught napping with no adequate national intelligence organization. Planning for the sabotage of Black Tom began more than a year before the explosion, when German spymaster Franz von Rintelen started surveilling and mapping out storage sheds on the Black Tom piers. That night, two German spies rowed across New York Harbor, their boat heavy with dynamite. [49] In an interview with Jules Witcover, McCloy noted that as assistant secretary of the navy under Wilson, Roosevelt "knew all about Black Tom." Hours after the blasts, with the Black Tom fires still burning out of control, The New York Times printed a story listing 42 explosions at American munitions and chemical facilities since war. However, the damage was estimated at more than $20 million, (nearly half a billion dollars today), and investigations eventually determined that the Black Tom explosions resulted from an enemy attackwhat some historians regard as the first major terrorist attack on the United States by a foreign power. To this day, access to that torch is banned. It blew the windows out of every high-rise building in Lower Manhattan. He had worked with a chemist to perfect a particular type of tiny bomb with a time-delayed incendiary device and he told Admiral von Tripitz back in Berlin Ill buy what I can and blow up what I cant.. Senate Document 105-2", "The Kaiser Sows Destruction Central Intelligence Agency", "Frequently Asked Questions Statue Of Liberty National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)". He wanted to try to buy off some of the people in charge of the storing of ammunition to see if he could get some re-routed to Berlin. None of the baggage handlers who were above the magazine survived the sinking. 17 was packed with 50 tons of TNT, and 69 railroad freight cars were storing more than a thousand tons of ammunition, all awaiting shipment to Britain and France. From Manhattan, witnesses saw shells shoot across the harbor and explode a mile from the blast site. [14], Fragments from the explosion traveled long distances: some lodged in the Statue of Liberty, and other fragments lodged in the clock tower of The Jersey Journal building in Journal Square more than 1 mile (1.6km) away, stopping the clock at 2:12am. According to Chad Millman, who wrote The Detonators: The Secret Plot to Destroy America and an Epic Hunt for Justice," there were two main reasons that the investigation took so long. Their destination: Jersey City's Black Tom Island, at the time the largest ammunition depot in America. [31] Kristoff would later serve in the United States Army in World War I, but admitted to working for German agents (transporting suitcases) in 1915 and 1916 while the US was still neutral. A giant crater extended below sea level near the pier and filled with debris and water. He was lucky to escape with his life. Owen Fitzpatrick worked on nearby Ellis Island as a telephone operator. Black Tom had been a center for the production of armaments that were being shipped to Europe to aid mainly Britain and France, both of which were fighting Germany, during World War I though the United States was technically neutral at the time. After shrapnel from the blast hit the Statue of Liberty, its torch, which was once used as a viewpoint from which visitors could enjoy spectacular views of the city, became unsafe for visitors and guests are still barred from entering the torch to this day. ?1918", "The Officer Down Memorial Page Remembers", The terror attack on N.J. that America forgot, New York at War Four Centuries of Combat, Fear, and Intrigue in Gotham. Statue of Liberty Damaged by Giant Ammunition Explosions Washington Post, July 31, 1916. First, a lack of documentation made it incredibly difficult to prove Germany was guilty of the crime. At 2:08 A.M. on Sunday July 30, 1916 the timed bombs . Rail Heads Face Arrest in Pier Blast at N.Y. Chicago Daily Tribune, August 1, 1916. As described by Witcover: The Black Tom promontory was a charred ruin; 13 huge warehouses were leveled and six piers destroyed, and fires continued to eat their way through the remains and consume hundreds of railroads cars and barges tied to the docks. James Doherty, a police officer from Jersey City, was killed in the explosion. In spite of newspaper headlines claiming that dozens died, the official tally counted four deaths. Second, for political reasons more than anything, Germany was incredibly reluctant to admit it. Black Tom Island is now part of Liberty State Park. [9], On the night of the Black Tom explosion, July 30, 1916, about 2,000,000 pounds (910,000kg) of small arms and artillery ammunition were stored at the depot in freight cars and on barges, including 100,000 pounds (45,000kg) of TNT on Johnson Barge No. Was it an accident or planned? 3 By David Pfeiffer Enlarge A shipment of horses at a New York City rail yard, 1918. Pieces of metal from the explosion struck the Jersey Journal building clock tower at Journal Square, stopping the clock at 2:12 a.m. Still, the impact of the Black Tom Island explosion is still felt in at least one small way today. When the explosions, fire and smoke cleared on Monday afternoon, the pier, warehouses, rail cars, locomotives, barges and even Black Tom Island had been obliterated. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The damage from the Black Tom explosion stretched across the railroad yard and pier. At 2:08 am, the first and largest of the explosions took place. However, investigators were unable to determine whether the disaster was the result of safety violations by any of these officials. The explosions that went off that night would have registered high on the Richter scale. ", At the Woolworth building, the tallest skyscraper in the world at the time, watchmen feared that the world was ending. Police arrested three railroad-company officials on charges of manslaughter, on the assumption that the fires began in two freight cars. The Black Tom explosion was an apparent act of sabotage by German agents. Part of the WCBE Podcast Experience. The most successful and experienced anti-sabotage investigators turned out to be the detectives of the New York Police Departments Bomb Squad. After this look at the Black Tom explosion, check out these haunting World War I photos that capture the tragedy of the war. Learn about the exhibit that inspired this site, If you would like to not see this alert again, please click the "Do not show me this again" check box below, The Statue of Liberty; Recovering debris at Black Tom; Damaged Black Tom Island pier, German saboteur Kurt Jahnke; German saboteur Lothar Witzke; Wanted poster for German saboteur Michael Kristoff, Storefront damage from the Black Tom Island blast; Black Tom Island explosion headline in, Diving for debris at Black Tom Island; Sorting recovered artillery shells; John J. McCloy of the Mixed Claims Commission, Benjamin Church: Surgeon, Son of Liberty, Spy, Thomas Hickey and the Plot Against George Washington, Edward Bancroft: A Man of Competing Loyalties, Benedict Arnold: A Name Synonymous with Treason, John Andr: Officer, Gentlemanand Spymaster, The Birth of American Counterintelligence, Union Espionage: From Patronage to Professionalism, Allan Pinkerton: Skilled Detective, Dubious Spymaster, Bureau of Military Information: The Trailblazers, Confederate Espionage: Spies, Scouts, & Sympathizers, Benjamin Franklin Stringfellow: A Spy Who Spared a General. View of the Statue of Liberty from the site of the explosion: The explosion caused $100,000 worth of damage to the statue, and from then onward the torch has been closed to tourists. The Mixed Claims Commission declared in 1939 that Imperial Germany had been responsible and awarded $50 million (the largest claim) in damages, which Nazi Germany refused to pay. Oriented with north toward the upper right. The noise of the explosion was heard as far away as Maryland and Connecticut. Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), https://www.history.com/news/the-black-tom-explosion, In 1916, German Terrorists Launched an Attack on American Soil. In the days after the blasts, confusion reigned. Until April 6, 1917, the United States was neutral in respect to World War I and its munitions companies earlier in the war could sell to any buyer. World War One was raging in Europe. Some lodged in the Statue of Liberty, damaging her skirt and torch. The torch has not been open to the public since 1916. On July 30th of 1916, German agents detonated a munition depot in New York harbor which resulted in 4 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and damage to the Statue of Liberty. All Rights Reserved. ; a Powder Factory Completely Destroyed Four Men Instantly killed", "The Point of Rocks Line: More about the Little Railroad", "An Attack That Turned Out to Be German Terrorism Has a Modest Legacy 100 Years Later", "Looking Back Black Tom railroad yard NFPA Journal", "On the Map; Explosion by the Hudson, Foreign Espionage, Local Fear: 1916", "Rogue River courier. Terms of Use Get the latest History stories in your inbox? The Black Tom explosion was an act of sabotage by agents of the German Empire, to destroy U.S.-made munitions that were to be supplied to the Allies in World War I.The explosions, which occurred on July 30, 1916, in New York Harbor, killed four people and destroyed some $20,000,000 ($500 million in 2023 dollars) worth of military goods. It had a reputation as an environmental hazard, and people in New York hated that it was so close to the city. [citation needed], It is likely[according to whom?] Drifting in and out of prison for various crimes, he died of tuberculosis in 1928. Black Tom was a major munitions depot for the northeastern United States. Nearby at the Statue of Liberty, a legacy of the disaster remains: Due to the damage the statue sustained on July 30, 1916, its torch has been closed to the public for the last century. Chad: So when the guard saw him he didn't think twice about this guy being in the area . The island received its name from a local legend of an African American resident named . On Ellis Island, terrified immigrants were evacuated by ferry to the Battery. The Black Tom explosion was a peak act of German sabotage on American soil during the first World War. A circle of U.S. flags complements the plaque, which stands east of the visitors' center. Total damage was calculated at $45 million ($1.127 trillion in 2021), with damage to Lady Liberty costing $100,000 ($2.5 million in 2021) alone. But it was too late. It was the largest non nuclear explosion to date. Most of the arms, however, were going to the AlliesBritain, France and Russiabecause the British navy had blockaded Germany. "Four shells of three-inch caliber fell on the gravel path in front of the main door and another shell passed through the roof of the coal bunker attached to the power house.". One of the largest examples of sabotage during World War I happened half a mile from the Statue of Liberty and hardly anyone knows the story. They were right. Very. [48] The sabotage techniques used by Germany, and the United States' declaration of war on Germany, led to the creation of the Espionage Act, which passed by Congress in late 1917. One paper reported that after seeing the blast, watchmen "got down on their knees and prayed.". It had 417 cases of detonating fuses. For reference, when the World Trade Centers North Tower collapsed in 2001, it registered a 2.3 on the Richter scale. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The Black Tom explosion did massive damage to the pier. Anton Dilger was an American who sympathized with Germany after studying there. In the summer of 1916, about 70 freight cars sat on Black Tom Island, holding munition shells and TNT that would eventually be unloaded onto barges. An explosion on Black Tom Island in New York Harbor in the middle of the night could be heard from miles away,. Cookie Policy Despite Americas claim of neutrality in World War I, it was no secret that the United States was selling massive quantities of munitions to the British. The Black Tom explosion was the peak act of German sabotage on American soil during the First World War. Photo: Wikipedia. Black Tom Explosion Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security, by Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner. The Nazi party in control of the government refused to pay. Divers recovered shells lost in the harbor after the explosion. cites the Black Tom explosion as the reason the torch is closed off, $50 million in damages were awarded to plaintiffs. All was dark and quiet on Black Tom Island in New York Harbor, not far from the Statue of Liberty, when small fires began to burn on the night of July 30, 1916. Yes, the Bureau and other agencies doggedly pursued the case after the war until the saboteurs were identified and, ultimately, reparations were paid for German attacks against our neutral country. A torpedo hitting the magazine could have kicked the stored aluminum powder into the air. Flickr/Wavian. And during the great war, there were at least 10 instances of attempted terrorist attacks in America by Germany. [52], A stained-glass window at Our Lady of Czestochowa Catholic church memorialized the victims of the attack.[53]. By the 1910s, Black Tom Island was a key shipping port. Historical Marker", "1916 Black Tom Blast Anniversary Observed", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Black_Tom_explosion&oldid=1152246751, This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 02:07. FATCO sells organic & responsibly-made tallow-based skincare products. So if you ever run across someone who claims theyve been up to the Statue of Libertys torch, now you know why they havent. The Black Tom explosion wasnt the only provocation. Five deaths were officially recorded in the attack, including a ten-week-old baby thrown from its crib, but the true death toll was likely much higher, as many of the destroyed barges were commonly used as shelters by vagrants and immigrants. The crater left by the blast measured 175 feet by 375 feet. The immigrants waiting for processing on Ellis Island had to be evacuated. [27] The former Black Tom Island is at the end of Morris Pesin Drive in the southeastern corner of the park, where a plaque marks the spot of the explosion. People as far away as Maryland were awakened by what they thought was an earthquake. The process of sorting through the wreckage required extreme care. No one has been allowed inside the torch of Lady Liberty ever since the explosion in 1916. The Black Tom explosion was an act of sabotage by agents of the German Empire to destroy U.S.-made munitions that were to be supplied to the Allies in World War I. Von Rintelen entered the U.S. with huge sums of money and direct orders from Berlin. The incident took place at on Black Tom Island, between New Jersey and Liberty Island on July 30, 1916, at 2:08 am. Two million tons of war materials packed. A third man, a drifter, entered the depot on foot. Martin Casella: The title Black Tom Island comes from the name of a small island that used to be off the coast of New Jersey, about a half-mile from the Statue of Liberty. Witcover said a handful of people were killed, including a baby that was thrown from its crib. And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: By 1916, World War I had already been raging for two years. Host Michael Kent asks listeners to tell him something strange, bizarre or surprising that they've recently learned and he gets to the bottom of it! The explosion also caused enormous physical damage to the surrounding area . Sadly, there was no stopping them. In this episode, we talk about German Saboteurs and then chat with Author of Branding Democrats, Ken Weber. People felt the shockwave as far away as Philadelphia and Baltimore. President Franklin D. Roosevelt used the Black Tom explosion as part of his rationale for the internment of Japanese Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. It was the center of, and was destroyed by, the terrorist bombing of 1916. The exhibit is divided into two sections presenting historical and judicial points of view. And what of the Black Tom saboteurs? America didnt join the fight in Europe until early 1917, but Germany was nervous about Americas supply of materials to France and Britain, including cattle. And the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which sustained much of the financial damage, knew who to blame: Germany. Von Rintelen and his ring of helpers was fairly successful in their efforts. According to New Jersey City University, the quest for reparations began with the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which used a 1921 treaty between the U.S. and Germany to request reparations. Nearer to Black Tom Island, blackened, twisted metal and debris covered an area several city blocks wide. Includes text, notes, and inset of northern portion . At the time President Roosevelt said to him: "We don't want any more Black Toms."[50][51]. Witzke was arrested in January 1918 by the U.S. Army after decrypted German cables alerted authorities to his movements; he was later found guilty of espionage. Remember, this was an island with a history of being filled with rubbish and explosives with little protection from accidents and without the proper safety measures. On the night of July 29, 1916 German saboteurs snuck past the soldiers on watch at Bedloe's Island and proceeded to Black Tom. Shrapnel flew in all directions. On the island, the explosion destroyed more than one hundred railroad cars, thirteen warehouses, and left a 375-by-175-foot (110 by 50m) crater at the source of the explosion. It tossed Jersey City residents from their beds. Von Bernstorff not only helped obtain forged passports for Germans who wanted to elude the Allied blockade, he also funded gun-running efforts, the sinking of American ships bringing supplies to Britain, and choking off supplies of phenol, used in the manufacture of explosives, in a conspiracy known as the Great Phenol Plot. Central Intelligence Agency https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol46no1/article02.html. Why can't we go up the Statue of Liberty's torch? After the explosion, Black Tom Island sank into New York Harbor. The Black Tom Explosion was an act of sabotage made by agents of Imperial Germany. Following the explosion, the Jersey Journal warned of as many as 50 deaths. The final payment was made in 1979, 63 years after the Black Tom explosion. [42] The issue was finally settled in 1953 for $95 million (interest included) with the Federal Republic of Germany. American authorities charged into the breach, ready to find out exactly what had happened. In Manhattan, hundreds of shops experienced broken windows because of the blast. For centuries, humans used tallow in skin moisturizers and healing balms, but unfortunately, the topical application of these fats seemed to stop around the same time that animal fats stopped being considered part of a healthy diet. The Black Tom Explosion by Lauren Dillon August 1, 2022 0 In 1916 one of the "largest non-nuclear artificial explosions" occurred in the United States. He bribed officials, which included some of the security men responsible for guarding the pier at Black Tom Island. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. On the night of July 30, 1916, Americas largest ammunition depot sat unguarded. Immigrants on nearby Ellis Island had to be evacuated. As the powder settled, it would have reached explosive concentrations, triggering the second explosion. The Black Tom Explosion didn't happen in our original universe [Week of July 28th, 1916] ( https://youtu.be/lu9VPY2DHPk ) On July 30th of 1916, German agents detonated a munition depot in New York harbor which resulted in 4 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and damage to the Statue of Liberty. 17, which contained 50 tons of TNT and 417 cases of detonating fuses. http://www.faqs.org/espionage/Bl-Ch/Black-Tom-Explosion.html The Kiaser Sows Destruction: Protecting the Homeland the First Time Around by Michael Warner. The Black Tom explosion worked to shift American sentiment against Germany fully.
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