Richmond’s WWII icon, the SS Red Oak Victory, hosts anniversary fundraiser Saturday
Eighty years ago, just before being commissioned to the U.S. Navy, the SS Red Oak Victory was launched from Kaiser’s Richmond Shipyard. To commemorate this and help ensure the ship’s future preservation, a fundraiser will be held on November 9.
The SS Red Oak Victory is the sole remaining ship constructed at the Richmond Kaiser Shipyards during the Second World War. Today, the site functions as both a museum and a memorial, paying homage to the countless men and women who aided in the construction of these vessels during a time of national crisis.
Built at Richmond Shipyard Number 1 by the Permanente Metals Corporation, the Victory ship measures 455 feet in length. While such vessels were not designed for longevity, the welds of the Red Oak Victory have remarkably endured for almost eight decades.
The period from 1944 to 1946 saw the completion of 531 Victory ships.
The Victory-class cargo ship, a large-scale production effort by American shipyards during World War II, was designed to replace vessels lost to German submarine warfare. More modern in their design compared to the earlier Liberty ship, Victory ships were larger and more powerful, allowing for higher speeds and making them challenging targets for German U-boats.
Decommissioned in 1946 and returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission, it was used by the Luckenbach Steamship Company from 1947 through the 1950s, American Mail Lines for the Military Sea Transport Service from 1966 to 1968, making a dozen voyages to Vietnam, Japan, and the Philippines carrying military supplies loaded at West Coast ports. From 1968 until 1998, as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
Destined for the scrap heap, Red Oak Victory was spared and conveyed to the Richmond Museum Association in 1996 preserving an important historical asset. In 1998 it was towed to its current home in Richmond Shipyard 3 close to Shipyard 1, where the ship was built.
The ship currently serves as a museum and historical resource for the Bay Area, educating visitors about World War II and illustrating Richmond’s numerous contributions to the war effort.
On November 9, the anniversary of its launch, There will be a fundraiser featuring a first-class dinner, dancing, and live 1940s swing music by Bay Area musician Nick Rossi.
The event will take place on Red Oak Victory, with pricing set at $100 per plate. All funds raised will support Red Oak Victory and its parent organization, the Richmond Museum Association.
Dinner will be catered by Richmond’s Golden Gate Bistro Restaurant, Bubbaloo Cafe is donating lemon bars, brownie bites and chocolate chip cookies, and a no host bar by The Factory Bar will include beer, wine, and cocktails which will include wines donated by Carica Wines.
The ship will be open for tours, and you can visit the bridge, the captain’s quarters, the original radio room, the deck guns, and even peer down into the engine room. Every guest receives a special commemorative wine glass with the logos of Red Oak Victory and the Richmond Museum of History and Culture.
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