ROVARC President Gary Elliott, WA6KCP, at the controls of the amateur radio station, K6YVM, located in the after ammunition room.

Accommodations were hardly luxurious aboard a Victory ship. But, of course, the captain's cabin was top drawer. Surprisingly, the oak woodwork on these Victory ships was executed with superb craftsmanship, even during the stresses of war time. Not surprisingly, the restoration by volunteers has been just as well done.

The ship's original Merchant Marine call sign, KYVM, displayed on the forward bulkhead, port side of the bridge. ROVARC's amateur radio call just adds a 6 for California, K6YVM.

It's not easy getting a good photo of the Red Oak, as it sits in its dock in Richmond. But here's one of the bow.

The Red Oak Victory on its way from the "mothball" fleet to its present location in Richmond.

Illustration from Victory ships and tankers; the history of the "Victory" type cargo ships and of the tankers built in the United States of America during World War II, by L. A. Sawyer and W. H. Mitchell. Cornell Maritime Press, Cambridge, Md.,1974.