SS Red Oak Victory Ship

The historic SS Red Oak Victory Ship is tied to the dock in Richmond, CA, Shipyard 3.

Luther Bailey, NPS Photo.

Quick Facts

Location:

Shipyard 3, Richmond, CA.

Significance:

WWII Victory Ship, built by Henry J. Kaiser

Designation:

National Register of Historic Places

MANAGED BY:

Richmond Museum Association

Amenities

2 listed

Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present, Parking - Auto

Historic WWII Ship: SS Red Oak Victory

An audio program about the SS Red Oak Victory isavailable on this page through a web browser or the official NPS app.

The Victory ship SS Red Oak Victory was constructed in Richmond's Kaiser Shipyard 1 and launched on November 9, 1944. As one of 414 Victory ships built during World War II, it stands out as one of the few transferred from the Merchant Marine to the U.S. Navy. The ship played a crucial role as an ammunition vessel in the South Pacific during WWII, bearing the name Red Oak in honor of the Iowa town with the highest per capita casualty rate in the United States during the war.

Operational History

After an initial fitting out, the Red Oak Victory departed San Francisco for Pearl Harbor on January 10, 1945, loaded with cargo. By February 10, she was en route to the Marshall and Caroline Islands with munitions. She reached Ulithi on February 28, 1945, and began operating under Commander Service Squadron Ten. From her base in the Philippines, the Red Oak Victory issued cargo and ammunition to various fleet ships until the war's end in August 1945. Throughout her hazardous duty, the ship handled many tons of ammunition without a single casualty, demonstrating the exceptional craftsmanship of the workers who built her.

Construction and Legacy

Many "Rosies" who worked in the shipyards recounted the importance of their welding jobs, knowing that the lives of their loved ones depended on the quality of their work. Victory ships like the Red Oak Victory were not intended to last long, but her welds have stood the test of time for over 60 years. The Red Oak Victory is 455 feet long and armed with one five-inch/38 caliber gun, one three-inch/50 caliber gun, and eight 20 mm guns. Decommissioned in 1946, the ship was returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission. It was later used by the Luckenbach Steamship Company from 1947 through the 1950s, traveling to destinations such as Japan, Korea, Cuba, Pakistan, India, and Singapore.

Preservation and Tours

The SS Red Oak Victory Ship is the last surviving ship built in the Kaiser Shipyards, now owned by the non-profit Richmond Museum Association. It serves as a monument to the men and women who worked in war-related industries on the World War II Home Front. Saved from the Naval Reserve Fleet in Suisun Bay in 1998 by a dedicated group of volunteers, the ship has been under restoration since.

Today, visitors can explore the ship and learn from knowledgeable volunteers, some of whom served on Merchant Marine vessels during the war. Their firsthand accounts provide invaluable insights into life aboard these ships built by the hardworking women of the era.

Tours of the SS Red Oak Victory are offered by the Richmond Museum Association on Sundays from 10am-4pm, with a suggested donation of $10. Visitors can also view the ship from the outside on days when tours are not available.
 

• SS Red Oak Victory Ship

  
  

  This extended audio program provides a comprehensive look at the SS Red Oak Victory and her journey from then to now. This is a great program to listen to before you board the ship, but can be enjoyed at home, on your driving tour or even in your classroom.

  Credit / Author:

  NPS/Luther Bailey/Lauren Goode

  Date created:

  08/01/2023

  Audio Transcript

  The SS Red Oak Victory is a surviving wartime ship that was built in the Richmond Shipyards and launched in November 1944. It is now a museum and monument to the men and women who built a record-breaking 747 ships at the Richmond Kaiser Shipyards.

  During World War II, she carried ammunition for ships in the South Pacific, supporting operations in Okinawa and in the Philippines, finally returning home to the United States in May of 1946. She went on to serve for the next 21 years in the Caribbean Sea, the Indian Ocean, and in the Korean War and Vietnam War.

  Here’s some additional in-depth information about the history of this historic ship, courtesy of the Richmond Museum Association, who owns, and through the hard work of volunteers, operates this amazing piece of history.

  After final outfitting, USS Red Oak Victory (AK-235) was commissioned on December 5, 1944, as a US Navy vessel. Only a very few Victory ships became Navy commissioned vessels, and they were designated as either AK (auxiliary cargo ships) or AT (attack transports). The USS Red Oak Victory, as an AK, carried ammunition to supply the needs of the Pacific Fleet in World War II.

  In January 1945, USS Red Oak Victory under command of Lieutenant Commander John S. Sayers, USNR, with a crew of 13 officers and 91 enlisted men sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge to war service in the Pacific Theater of Operations. She would not return to the United States for 18 months.

  The Red Oak Victory took on a cargo of ammunition for fleet issue at Pearl Harbor and from there sailed to Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands of the Western Pacific. Being located just 1300 miles South of Tokyo, Ulithi was the ideal forward supply base for the US Navy’s final operations of the war. Beginning in April 1945 the USS Red Oak Victory issued ammunition for the invasion of Okinawa from this base. In May she sailed to Leyte Gulf where she supported operations in the Philippines until the war ended in August of that year.

  The USS Red Oak Victory made her final cruise as a Navy vessel back to the United States in May 1946 where she was turned over to the US Maritime Commission and re-designated as SS Red Oak Victory. Under Merchant Marine command she served for the next 21 years in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and in Korean War service. SS Red Oak Victory’s final thirteen voyages were to Vietnam from 1965 through 1968 where she was one of 100 World War II Victory ships used by the Military Sealift Command to support operations in Southeast Asia.

  In January 1970 SS Red Oak Victory was transferred to the Ready Reserve (or ‘mothball’), Fleet in Suisun Bay (California), where she remained until moved as a museum ship to her present location in 1998. After accumulating a proud record of service for nearly 25 years as both a military and civilian vessel, in war and in peace, today the SS Red Oak Victory entertains and educates visitors from all over the world. She stands as a memorial to the workers and sailors who not only delivered the goods but delivered the victory in the Second World War.

  The SS Red Oak Victory is also one of the last surviving World War II Victory ships. These ships, along with their cousins the Liberty ships, were built on an emergency basis to carry vital supplies and troops to all theaters of war. The Victory ships remain today as a symbol of the national resolve and industrial might that won the Second World War.

  In addition to this National Park Service driving tour and exploring our Rosie the Riveter Visitor Education Center, make sure you take the time to visit The Richmond Museum of History & Culture, which is the most significant local history museum in West Contra Costa County. The museum is housed in a Carnegie Library built in 1910, that boasts a permanent exhibit gallery and a space for temporary exhibits and special events. The Museum draws from their extensive permanent collection of artifacts, photographs, and documents to host educational programs and exhibitions for the benefit of the public. The museum has had a presence in Richmond, California for over sixty years and is proud to be a cornerstone of the community.