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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 was
HTTP://Hometown.Aol.com/JWTopeka67
until the Webmaster James Wilson
departed on his final voyage. As far as I know the association
was dissolved shortly after that.
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
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