meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
History Daily

The Preparedness Day Bombing

History Daily

Airship | Noiser | Wondery

History

4.42.1K Ratings

🗓️ 22 July 2025

⏱️ 19 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

July 22, 1916. A bomb explodes during a “Preparedness Day” parade in San Francisco, killing 10 people and wounding another 40.


  • Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.


History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.

Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad-free.

0:04.1

Listen with Wondry Plus in the Wondry app.

0:06.0

As a member of NoisorPlus at noisor.com or in Apple Podcasts,

0:10.6

or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts at IntoHistory.com.

0:20.4

Music It's 2 p.m. on July 22nd, 1916 in San Francisco, California.

0:30.3

Marching along the street, 40-year-old Dr. Joseph Moss waves to the cheering crowds that packed the sidewalks. It's preparedness day, and a parade has been organized by San Francisco's Chamber of Commerce.

0:42.3

They want to show their support for an increase in defense spending by the government amid the ongoing war in Europe.

0:48.3

To his left and right, Dr. Moss is flanked by fellow veterans who fought in the Spanish-American War two decades ago.

0:55.8

Now, though, he's a prominent surgeon in San Francisco.

0:58.7

But Dr. Moss hasn't forgotten what he learned in the U.S. Army.

1:01.8

He marches in perfect step with those around him.

1:04.5

As a former soldier, Dr. Moss believes the United States has a responsibility to the rest of the world

1:09.6

and should join the fighting on World War I. Fifty thousand other marchers today agree with him. But many in America

1:16.3

would prefer to stay out of the conflict. Some of these isolationists have even made violent

1:21.3

threats against today's parade. But as he continues along Marcus Street, Dr. Moss doesn't think

1:27.1

much of these threats.

1:28.5

But then, out of the corner of his eye, he spots something falling from a rooftop up ahead.

1:33.6

It looks like a package or a small bag.

1:36.2

Dr. Moss can't make it out, but it's trailing smoke.

1:39.6

And as it lands among the crowd below, an ear-piercing explosion knocks Dr. Moss to the ground.

1:46.0

Through dust and smoke, Dr. Moss sees the vague shapes of men, women, and children, staggering and shock all around him.

1:54.0

Dr. Moss's medical and military training kicks in.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Airship | Noiser | Wondery, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Airship | Noiser | Wondery and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.