Richmond city feature
About this landmark
A restored liberty ship now serves as a volunteer-operated maritime museum.
The SS Red Oak Victory is a cargo vessel built during World War II and now berthed at the Richmond Shipyards District in Richmond, California. The ship was launched on November 9, 1944, by Permanente Metals Corporation at its Richmond shipyard. The vessel measures 455 feet in length with a 62-foot beam and a 28-foot draft, powered by a steam turbine engine capable of 17 knots. The Red Oak Victory was the 558th ship built in Richmond for World War II production and has been listed on the National Register.
Naval Service and Post-War Operations
The Red Oak Victory was commissioned by the U.S. Navy on December 5, 1944, as USS Red Oak Victory (AK-235). The ship departed San Francisco for Pearl Harbor on January 10, 1945, and served in the Pacific theater through August 1945 carrying ammunition and cargo. Following decommissioning on May 21, 1946, the vessel entered merchant and commercial cargo service, operating under lease to private companies. The ship later supported military operations during the Vietnam era, serving in 1966 and 1968 under the Military Sea Transport Service, transporting military cargo across Pacific routes.
The Red Oak Victory was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in 1968 after its military service concluded. The larger Richmond Shipyards District, designated California Historical Landmark #1032, surrounded the vessel. During World War II, the Kaiser shipyards in Richmond produced 747 ships—more than any other shipyard complex in the country.
Current Museum Operations and Visiting
The SS Red Oak Victory is owned and operated entirely by volunteers of the Richmond Museum of History, with restoration work ongoing. The ship is berthed at 1337 Canal Boulevard, Berth 5, Richmond. Visiting hours and admission information are available online; weekend hours are 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with winter hours of 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Admission options include self-guided audio tours for $15 (ages 12 and up), docent-guided tours for $20, and docent-guided tours with engine-room access for $25 (ages 12 and up only for engine-room access). Groups of five or fewer do not require advance reservations.
The vessel is not ADA accessible due to gangway and stair requirements. Volunteers continue restoration efforts, including completed hull work in dry dock, with ongoing work toward relighting the engines. The ship demonstrates the scale of Richmond's wartime contribution: Kaiser's four Richmond shipyards employed approximately 90,000 workers between 1941 and 1943, and produced 519 Liberty Ships, representing almost a quarter of total United States production.
Insurance connection: Flood coverage
Waterfront properties and structures in flood-prone areas require specialized insurance. Standard National Flood Insurance Program policies cover "direct physical loss to property from a flood," including inundation of multiple properties and rapid surface-water accumulation. Flood policies specifically cover mudflow, defined as a river of liquid flowing mud over normally dry land. However, flood insurance excludes losses from earthquake, landslide, land subsidence, sinkholes, and water-caused land movement. Coverage takes effect 30 days after purchase, though certain federally mandated situations waive this waiting period. California Department of Insurance flood information notes that eligibility and limits depend on the individual policy. The issued policy controls.
Primary sources: Official ship and museum homepage, National Park Service ship page, California Historical Landmark #1032 details.
Insurance context is general information only. The issued policy and its endorsements settle coverage.