LettersDear Ed: None of your mailing problems affected deliveries to me. Al Ansorge (61-63)Dear Ed: This is to thank shipmates for all the cards, letters, phone calls and visits received during the past three months concerning my health. Your concern, interest and thoughtfulness have meant much to me. I am much better now, although I require a four-hour kidney dialysis treatment three days a week. However, on each of the other days, I swim a mile, and am getting stronger every day. In gunnery terms, I’m in “semi-automatic,” and headed for full automatic. Unfortunately, I will not be able to make the reunion in Portland. I wish you the best of times there, and please know that I will be with you in spirit. Don Nellis (63-65)Dear Ed: I think I may be able to shed a bit of light on the "other" TOPEKA logo you show on the third page of the March Newsletter. First, remember that this was 35+ years ago and, while my memory is as good as it ever was, it is somewhat shorter. When we were in the shipyard in early 1967 we did several things to boost morale during the "down" period of the overhaul. One of them was a contest to design a patch. We voted on two designs. The winner was similar to the one on the cover of the Newsletter. I, however, along with a significant minority, voted for the gold on blue "other" design. Dick Bihr, the exec, had both designs produced and made available to those who wanted them. Bill Montgomery, Commanding Officer (66-67)Dear Ed: We received the March newsletter and are very excited to make our plans for Portland. I haven't come across with much info for a 2004 New York reunion, but we have a number of folks working hard to find a proper location. The hotels in the city did not want to come up with rates for 2004. I felt without that we could not move ahead. That is the tricky part for Manhattan. Hopefully everyone will want to come to the Big Apple. I also have an alternative location in mind that I feel I could work on and perhaps another member lives close by? I think that Baltimore, MD would be great also. Ray and I attend an event there every July and have a wonderful time. We drive down so it is very easy for us to get around. Also it is very convenient to travel into DC. See you all in Portland.
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