The following email was received shortly after sending two names that came to our CLG 8 website looking for information about our predecessor the USS Topeka CL67.

The Home page for the USS Topeka CL-67 Reunion Group is HTTP://Hometown.Aol.com/JWTopeka67

Our reunion group had our first meeting in Topeka, Kansas in 1973. We met again in 1974 in Topeka, Kansas. At that time, we set up our nonprofit corporation. I am the Executive Director. We have five board members from across the USA.

Since that time, we have met every year. We just concluded our 27th annual reunion in the Northern/Kentucky-Cincinnati, Ohio. We had a total of 76 persons at our dinner/banquet. We have not formulated our plans for next year. We may return to the same location as this year or we may hold the 2000 reunion in Indianapolis, Indiana.

I might mention that for several years I collected names of crewmembers from the CLG 8. I turned over approximately 25 or 30 names to the CLG 8 organizers. From that list and several names that the organizers obtained, your group was formed. Also, in 1975, I was able to secure several artifacts from the U.S.S. TOPEKA while she was in the Philadelphia mothball fleet.

Then again, after the ship was sold by the Government in 1975, Myself and another shipmate went to the shipbreaker's yard in New Orleans and we purchased several artifacts from the shipbreaker's. I guess I would say that the U.S.S. TOPEKA CL 67 has been a big part of me and my family's life.

Sincerely,

James W. Wilson
Executive Director
U.S.S. TOPEKA CL 67
Reunion Group, Inc.
1022 W. Abbott St.
Muncie, IN 47303
Ph: 765-288-3949

EMail to:
jwtopeka67@aol.com