SS Red Oak Victory (AK-235)
SS Red Oak Victory
|
|
| 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 |
| Struck: | 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: |
|
|
SS Red Oak Victory
|
|
SS Red Oak Victory as seen from the dock in 2006, before extensive restoration work was performed
|
|
 
|
|
| Location | Richmond, California |
| Coordinates | 37°54′17.3″N 122°21′52″W / 37.904806°N 122.36444°WCoordinates: 37°54′17.3″N 122°21′52″W / 37.904806°N 122.36444°W |
| Built | 1944 |
| NRHP reference # | 00001674 |
| Added to NRHP | 30 January 2000 |
SS Red Oak Victory is a U.S. military Victory ship of the Boulder Victory-class cargo ship used in the Second World War. She was preserved to serve as a museum ship in Richmond, California, and is part of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. She was one of 534 Victories built during World War II, but one of only a few of these ships to be transferred from the Merchant Marine to the United States Navy. She was named after Red Oak, Iowa, which suffered a disproportionate number of casualties in early World War II battles. (Montgomery County ranked third among Iowa counties in World War II casualties per capita). The ship was active during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Red Oak Victory was built by the Permanente Metals Corporation's Richmond Number 1 Yard in Richmond, California and launched on 9 November 1944. Victory ships were not intended to be long lasting, but the welds of the Red Oak Victory are still intact after 60 years. The ship is 455 feet (139 m) in length, and armed with one five-inch/38 caliber gun; one three-inch/50 caliber gun, and eight 20 mm guns.
The ship was acquired by the United States Navy on 5 December 1944 and commissioned the same day as USS Red Oak Victory (AK-235). Following a fitting-out period, Red Oak Victory was loaded with cargo and departed San Francisco for Pearl Harbor on 10 January 1945. Red Oak Victory departed Hawaii on 10 February loaded with munitions needed in the Marshall and Caroline islands. Sent onward from Enewetak, she arrived in Ulithi on 28 February, and then began operating under Commander Service Squadron Ten. Operating out of the Philippines, she issued cargo and ammunition to various ships in the fleet through the end of the war in August 1945. During a hazardous tour of duty in the Pacific, Red Oak Victory handled many tons of ammunition, supplying the fleet without a single casualty.
...
Wikipedia