On Tuesday, May 7, 2002, I went aboard the ship to help the other volunteers in the restoration effort.  I continued working on the ship every Tuesday (and the occassional Wednesday) until we moved from California back to Minnesota in September, 2002.

    My first couple of days were spent going through the four lifeboats inventorying their contents.  We had an old listing of all the equipment that the lifeboats were supposed to have on them.  If anything was found to be missing, we needed a list so that we could try to acquire the items from the mothballed fleet in Suisun Bay, where eight other Victory Ships are still moored.  By 2006 the remaining ships are to be pulled out to sea and sunk, so it is vital any thing of use for the Red Oak is salvaged by then.

   The following twelve tuesdays or so, I spent my time working on the first of three levels in the #4 cargo hold.  This is the largest of the holds and is slated to become the ship's museum where various displays will be set up.  It is large enough to also be used as a meeting room and the museum store.  The first level of the hold is about 12 feet high with a width of 60 feet and a length of about 120 feet.  My job, along with another fellow, was to powerwash all the surfaces in the hold in preparation for painting.  With all the beams, pipes, ventilation shafts, support framing, and flat surface areas, it took quite a long time to get the job done. The oscillating tip of the powerwasher did an excellent job of removing loose paint and rust, but the nozzle had to be held no more than about six inches from the surface, which only cut about a two inch wide swath.  At that rate doing walls, floor and ceiling of a 120 foot X 60 foot room took quite a while.

    Shortly before I moved away from California, the painting of the hold was started.  The last time I saw the boat, about half of the job was completed.  An off-white gloss epoxy paint was being used and really brightened it up.  The color was custom mixed, and the company now calls it "Victory White".

    The ship's radio room has been fully restored and has all of the original equipment in working order.  This was done by the East Bay Amateur Radio Club.  It was through classes put on by members of this club and the Contra Costa County Adult Continuing Education that I received my Amateur Radio license in June, 2002.