Ship History

August 15, 1944
The SS Red Oak Victory started its’ existence known as hull #544 in Kaiser-Richmond Shipyard #1. Built in 87 days, she was the 558th of the 747 ships built in Richmond, a Boulder Class Victory ship built to serve as a cargo vessel for WWII.

November 9, 1944
#544 was launched as the SS Red Oak Victory and final outfitting begins.

December 5, 1944
Final outfitting is complete and the ship is turned over to the US Navy, commissioned as USS Red Oak Victory (AK-235), and assigned as a fleet ammunition carrier.

December 14 - 23, 1944
Sea trials ("Shake-down cruise")

January 9 - 11, 1945
Loaded with ammunition at Port Chicago in Suisun Bay

January 10, 1945
Departed San Francisco for Pearl Harbor

February 10, 1945
Departed Pearl Harbor for the Marshall Islands / Eniwetok Atoll

February 23 - 28, 1945
Steamed toward the Ulithi Atoll in the Western Caroline Islands in preparation for the invasion of Okinawa

March 3 - May 26, 1945
At Ulithi: Ammunition replenishment of numerous Allied vessels of the Pacific Fleet, notably the USS Missouri

May 8, 1945
Germany Surrenders, Hostilities in the European Theater of Operations are over.

August 6, 1945
Atomic Bomb dropped on the city of Hiroshima, Japan.

August 9, 1945
Atomic Bomb dropped on the city of Nagasaki, Japan.

August 15, 1945
WWII hostilities end.

September 2, 1945
Aboard the USS Missouri Japan surrenders unconditionally. Hostilities in the China, Burma, India Theater of Operations are finished. World War Two is officially over.

May 21, 1946
USS RED OAK VICTORY (AK-235) decommissioned from the United States Navy at 2:54 pm.

June 12, 1946 - April 4, 1947
In temporary storage at the Olympia Ready Reserve Fleet, Olympia, Washington.

1947 - 1968
For the Merchant Marine in the Caribbean and Pacific she carried cargo and served as a relief ship carrying emergency grain shipments to Pakistan and India in 1947.

February 10, 1950 - May 5, 1951
Records indicate Military cargo voyages in support of the Korean Conflict

November 20 - December 31, 1956
Records indicate humanitarian grain cargo voyages to India and Pakistan

September 24 - October 3, 1957
De-activation and preparation for temporary storage performed by Pacific-Atlantic Steamship Company, Portland, Oregon.

October 3, 1957 - December 21, 1965
In temporary storage at the Astoria Ready Reserve Fleet, Astoria, Washington.

January 27, 1966 - September 16, 1968
Records indicate numerous Military cargo voyages in support of the Vietnam Conflict from Pacific Northwest ports to Southeast Asian ports. Captains R. Blood, N. Carlson, C. Englestone, R. Gundersen and M. Dale as ships Masters.

October 10 - December 16, 1968
Final voyage to Viet Nam and back to San Francisco Bay.

January 1968
Transferred to the Ready Reserve Fleet (Mothball Fleet) in Suisun Bay

January 12, 1970 - September 18, 1998
In permanent storage at the Suisun Bay Ready Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, California.

1996
Title to the SS Red Oak Victory conveyed to the Richmond Museum Association by the U.S. Maritime Administration

September 18, 1998
Transferred to Mare Island Naval Shipyard for transport to Richmond, California

September 20, 1998
Relocated to the shipyard area in Richmond, California that originally built the Red Oak Victory to be restored back to original launch condition.

August 20, 1998
The SS Red Oak Victory was moved to Pier #1 in Richmond.

November 2002
State TEA grant awarded for restoration work. $1.3M was spent on the overhaul to paint the deck and superstructure and install 480 V AC power system

February 2011
National Park Service awarded $700,000 grant

September 2011
The ship was towed to BAE dry dock in San Francisco by Foss Maritime for inspection and repair of hull steel plates, hull cleaning, repainting, tail shaft repair and installation of new propeller

October 2011
Ship returned to Richmond from BAE dry dock

March 4, 2016
SS Red Oak Victory towed to nearby Basin 5 in order to provide unobstructed waterfront views for Rigger's Loft winery grand opening.

July 9 - August 16 2018
SS Red Oak Victory towed from her berth in Richmond, California to the California Maritime Academy (CMA) in Vallejo, California. The boilers were successfully lit off nearly 20 times over the five-week duration, testing the auxiliary systems in the process as steam pressures were gradually raised to maximum levels. One turbine generator was put online, enabling the Red Oak Victory to run on ship's power. After being towed back to Richmond, the ship re-opened to the public on September 1, 2018.

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.

Personal Stories

Learn about the brave and dedicated men and women who built and served on the Red Oak Victory - AK235. During docent-led ship tours, our volunteers will paint the story of what life was like aboard the ship during WWII and post-war.

Visit the nearby Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park to learn more about the Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond and the contributions of civilians to the war effort.

On most Fridays, you can visit with real Home Front workers from WWII at the Rosie the Riveter park. For a schedule, call the Visitor Education Center at 510-232-5050.

National Park Service Ranger Betty Reid Soskin retired on March 31, 2022 at the age of 100. Betty was the oldest, active National Park Ranger serving the United States. After retiring, Betty continued her virtual program as a volunteer until March of 2023, before eventually deciding to discontinue those programs altogether. At this time, Betty is no longer doing any programs associated with the national park service.

Betty is in good health and enjoys the relaxing that comes with retirement.

Richmond's real life Rosie-the-Riveters, 30-Aug-16, KALW