In June our RV friends Paul and Carol traveled through the area. We decided to meet up in Richmond, CA. While Richmond itself is not a travel destination, it has a strong history. As the US entered WWII, the need for naval ships was paramount. Richmond was the location for major ship building, both Liberty and Victory ships. The city was transformed into twenty-four-sevenday per week industry. With men heading off to war, women entered the work force as did African-Americans who moved from the South.
We toured the Red Oak Victory ship, the last remaining ship of this type, learning about its construction. The Victory ships replaced the Liberty ships because they were much faster and able to outrun submarines. They were designed to carry cargo to Europe and the South Pacific and were lightly armed with anti aircraft guns.
We went deep into the engine room,
seeing both officer and enlisted men’s quarters,
learning about communication between ships and land
and seeing the bridge
After a delicious lunch at Assemble Restaurant , we went to the Rosie the Riveter Museum.
The displays show what life was like in a town that was dedicated to helping with the war effort. Henry Kaiser, who had never built a ship, was the chief builder there. He used any man/woman power he could to build, weld and rivet his ships.. Kaiser got in the hospital business by wanting to treat on-the-job injuries close to where the work was done so workers could quickly return to their jobs.
The highlight of our day was an amazing lecture by Betty Reid Soskin , a ninety-seven-year-old African-American woman who was a clerk in Richmond during the war.
She presented an excellent lecture on what life was like for African Americans in the Bay Area. She is a good teacher, a captivating speaker and an inspiration to her audience.
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