SS Red Oak Victory facts for kids
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|} The SS Red Oak Victory is a special kind of cargo ship called a Victory ship. It was built in the United States during World War II. This ship helped carry important supplies during the war.
Today, the Red Oak Victory is a museum ship in Richmond, California. It's managed by the Richmond Museum of History. You can find it near the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park.
The Red Oak Victory was one of 534 Victory ships made during World War II. Only a few of these ships were used by the United States Navy. This ship was named after Red Oak, Iowa. That city had many people who were hurt or died early in World War II. The ship was active during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Contents
- Building a Victory Ship
- Serving in World War II
- After the War: New Missions and Retirement
- Becoming a Museum Ship
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
|
| Name | Red Oak Victory |
| Namesake | The city of Red Oak, Iowa |
| Builder | Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California |
| Yard number | Yard No.1 |
| Laid down | 9 September 1944 |
| Launched | 7 November 1944 |
| Acquired | 5 December 1944 |
| Commissioned | 5 December 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 21 May 1946 |
| Out of service | 19 December 1969 |
| Stricken | 19 July 1946 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Released from the National Defense Reserve Fleet, 19 September 1998 for restoration at the Richmond, California, Museum of History |
| Status | Museum at Richmond, California |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Boulder Victory-class cargo ship |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 455 ft (139 m) |
| Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Draft | 29 ft 2 in (8.89 m) |
| Installed power | 6,000 shp (4,500 kW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 15.5 kn (17.8 mph; 28.7 km/h) |
| Complement | 99 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
|
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SS Red Oak Victory
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SS Red Oak Victory as seen from the dock in 2006, before extensive restoration work was performed
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Richmond, California |
| Built | 1944 |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001674 |
| Added to NRHP | 30 January 2000 |
The Ship's Journey Through History
Building a Victory Ship
The Red Oak Victory was built by the Permanente Metals Corporation in Richmond, California. It was launched on November 9, 1944. Victory ships were not meant to last a very long time. However, the Red Oak Victory's parts stayed strong for over 76 years.
The ship is about 455 feet (139 m) long. It was armed with one large five-inch gun. It also had one three-inch gun and eight smaller 20 mm guns. These guns helped protect the ship and its cargo.
Serving in World War II
The United States Navy took over the ship on December 5, 1944. It was named USS Red Oak Victory (AK-235). After getting ready, the ship left San Francisco for Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This was on January 10, 1945.
On February 10, the Red Oak Victory left Hawaii. It carried important munitions (ammunition and supplies). These were needed in the Marshall and Caroline islands. The ship then went to Ulithi on February 28. From there, it worked with other ships to deliver supplies.
The Red Oak Victory operated from the Philippines. It gave cargo and ammunition to many fleet ships. This continued until the war ended in August 1945. The ship had tough missions in the Pacific. It moved many tons of ammunition. It supplied the fleet without anyone getting hurt.
After the War: New Missions and Retirement
In 1946, the Red Oak Victory was taken out of Navy service. It was returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission. From 1947 through the 1950s, the ship was used by the Luckenbach Steamship Company. It traveled to places like Japan, Korea, Cuba, and India.
Later, from 1966 to 1968, the ship helped the Military Sea Transport Service. It made many trips to Vietnam, Japan, and the Philippines. It carried military supplies from ports on the West Coast. After these trips, from 1968 to 1998, the ship was stored. It stayed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Suisun Bay. This is like a parking lot for ships.
Becoming a Museum Ship
The Red Oak Victory was planned to be taken apart. But in 1993, the Richmond Museum Association became interested in saving it. In 1996, the U.S. Congress passed a law. This law allowed the ship to be given to the Museum Association.
On September 20, 1998, the Red Oak Victory was given to the Richmond Museum of History. It was moved to its new home in Richmond Shipyard 3. This was close to where it was first built in 1944. Today, the museum is working to fix up the ship. It is open for people to visit. It is also connected to the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park.
See also
