SS Red Oak Victory (victory ship)
Why it's listed
Red Oak Victory is a steel, steam-powered Victory cargo ship launched at Kaiser's Richmond Shipyard Number One on November 9, 1944. About 455 feet long, it was commissioned as USS Red Oak Victory (AK235) and worked as an ammunition ship, supplying Pacific fleet units from early 1945 until the war's end without a single casualty. The vessel was named for Red Oak, Iowa, a town with the highest per capita casualty rate of any American community in the war. It is the last of ten ships ordered for Navy use as ammunition carriers. After decommissioning in 1946 it worked as a merchant ship, made voyages to Vietnam in the 1960s, and was held in the Suisun Bay reserve fleet from 1968 to 1998. It retains original winches, engines, boilers, radio gear and galley equipment. Returned to Richmond in 1998, it is being restored by volunteers as a museum ship, and is recognized for its military, transportation and engineering importance.
Significance in brief: The ship is the last of only ten Victory ships ordered by the US Maritime Commission for Navy use as ammunition ships, and it served both as a Navy vessel and as a merchant ship. It is also tied to Richmond's wartime shipbuilding. The nomination cites military, transportation and engineering significance and notes its high integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 00001674, listed January 30, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1500 Dornan Dr, Terminal One, Port of Richmond, Richmond |
|---|---|
| County | Contra Costa County |
| Listed | January 30, 2001 |
| Reference number | 00001674 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1944-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Richmond Shipyard No. One, Permanenta Metals Corportation |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Transportation, Engineering, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moored at Terminal One in the Port of Richmond and undergoing volunteer rehabilitation, with plans to restore it to operational condition and develop a maritime museum. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.90574, -122.36566 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 00001674.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7394275
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.