Sorry for the delay in posting; it’s been one of those days!

This episode of California’s Gold first aired in 1999. This bit of California history is special to me because my dad grew up in Richmond, California, and I had relatives who worked in the Kaiser Ship Yards, playing their part in the tremendous ship-building effort of the 1940s. This was one reason that, back in 2015, I was so happy to take a tour of the Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien, docked at Pier 45 in San Francisco. I haven’t yet had the chance to visit the Red Oak Victory Ship in Richmond, but it would be great to see the final result of the restoration work done by volunteers and former Kaiser Ship Yard workers.

Working around the clock and 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Kaiser shipyard in Richmond California built 747 ships for the war effort during W.W.II. With full medical care, housing, day care and 24 hour meals, it was the model of efficiency and the forerunner of Kaiser Permanente.

In our March episode of California’s Gold, Huell and Luis visit the site ofthe Kaiser Shipyard and talk with people who worked there throughout the war,including some “Rosie the Riveters” who took the place of the many men who were overseas.

As a special treat we follow one of the original Victory ships that was built at the shipyard as it returns home. The SS Red Oak Victory was saved by the city of Richmond and towed out of the Naval Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay down to its new home where it will be restored and used as a museum. We’ll tag along on this exciting day as a piece of California’s Gold comes home.

(Click on the linked image below to see the video.)