This year it’s back to San Diego where it all started 16 years ago. Things are looking good, and the team is on top of everything, as usual. For those of you who attended the last San Diego reunion, note that we will have the same accommodations at the Town and Country as we did last time, including that wonderful hospitality room with the big bar, etc. Mark your calendars for August 16th – 19th, 2006. Ike and Linda Roberts have been taking good care of out ships store, but since Ike’s passing Linda has asked to be relieved of her ships store duties. We will be looking for someone to replace her. Also this will be Jack Timmons last year as our Secretary/Treasurer and we are desperately looking for his replacement. The association is grateful for the service that Jack and Linda have provided to make our reunions such a great success. If anyone is interested in helping out in these areas pleas email me at canrc@verizon.net. I am looking forward to seeing all of you again in August. I know we will have another great reunion, and you don’t want to miss it. After all it is you wonderful people that make our reunions such a great success! John Reynolds
NEW MEMBERS (since November 2005) James Cutler BMSN (61-65) Vista, CA Johnny Akins LT (68-69) Edmond, OK James Rutledge BMSN (62-64) Brea, CA Michael Driscol BT2 (68-69) Ashtabula, OH Bruce Wood RD2 (62-64) Dayton, OH Robert Cooper EM3 (60-64) Fresno, CA Ronald Knudsen QM3 (65-67) Olathe, KS Clyde Evans BT3 (63-66) Jacksonville, FL
Hal W. Hodson LCDR (60-62) 1/24/06
REUNION 2006
2006 DUES ARE DUE Please send your dues to Jack Timmons
REUNION 1990 Now, they were serious, setting the objective of having the first
reunion in 1991. However, through word of mouth, and a massive
announcement campaign in newspapers around the country and all the
military related publications, initial efforts to locate crew members
was so successful that they decided to hold the first one in 1990. A
Reunion Committee was formed and the dates of August 16-20 were set and
the Holiday Inn On the Bay, San Diego, was selected as the reunion site. The 1990 reunion at San Diego was great. The people who
organized it are to be commended. It was good to see my shipmates again.
Close relationships. These last a lifetime. Unfortunately, you sometimes
lost contact with these friends. The reunions allow us an opportunity to
visit once again—thirty years later! WOW!! My wife and I had a great time at the first reunion. We both look forward to Long Beach in 91, TOPEKA’s homeport. Being at the reunion gave me an opportunity to get together with an old Navy buddy that I had not seen for almost 30 years. Both of our wives hit it off terrifically. I look forward to seeing others that I met for the first time again. I hope more White Hats make it this year. They will have as good a time as I had at the first reunion. Ron Smart, 1960-62 It started Thursday morning; I had the Hospitality Room
“duty” and was setting up the room, expecting a slow day. Boy, was I
wrong. Before I got the first pot of coffee made, the first arrivals,
Bill and Manona Herring, showed up, and before I knew it, the room was
filled and everybody was having a ball. The atmosphere, the feeling, was
something I had never experienced before. There seemed to be an intense
ambience of comradeship and genuine delight in seeing shipmates last
seen decades ago. All our plans and procedures for checking people in,
taking pictures, etc., soon went by the board—the “duty checker-inners”
were having too much fun. Thursday went in a hurry, but not before I
knew we were on our way to a real blowout. Thanks TOPEKA, you’re
something special. The reunion in San Diego let me once again see my “old
friend’s” family I had a great time at the first reunion, but there needs to be more enlisted men at the next one. Mike Giampietro, 1965-67 I flew from PA to attend the San Diego reunion, and am
I glad I did. The reunion was really great. Seeing old shipmates after
25 years was quite an experience. As with most reunion, it was obvious
that a small group did all the work. To them my thanks—it was
appreciated. My only regret was that the time passed too quickly. SHIPS STORE
NAMES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS Board of Directors |
Taps
The reunion hotel is the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center,
500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, CA 92108. The dates for 2006 are
Wednesday, August 16th through Saturday, August 19th. Room rates are
$99.00 single or double plus applicable tax. Make your own reservations
by calling 1-800-772-8527 and make sure you identify that you are with
the Topeka Reunion. The cutoff date for the rates is July 23, 2006. We
will have a hospitality suite in the East Tower. This site is the same
as our 2000 reunion. Please plan on arriving early and enjoying in 2006!
Amenities include: Coffee makers, Remote control TV with cable
movie channels, in-room pay movies, Voice mail, telephone with message
light, data port, high speed internet access (nominal fee), Video
account review and video check-out, Individual climate control,
Electronic door locks with automatic deadbolt, Full bath amenities,
Turndown available on request, Iron, ironing boards, AM/FM alarm clock
radio, Hair dryer, Free weekday newspaper and Room Service (6:00 a.m. -
midnight).
LETTERS