In July 1916 as World War I raged in Europe, the Black Tom Island loading facility in Jersey City was a major military target. While the United States claimed neutrality, hundreds of tons of munitions were being produced along the East Coast, and most of it was loaded at Black Tom onto ships bound for the Allies. Because of this, on the night of July 30, German agents rowed across New York harbor and placed incendiary devices at key points inside the facility.

The New York Times explained, “Yesterday six freight cars had been run upon the company’s property with goods that were…