USS Topeka CL-67

The USS Topeka was a Cleveland-class light cruiser and the second to be named for the city in Kansas. Construction began on April 21, 1943, and she was launched on August 19, 1944 under the sponsorship of Mrs. Frank J. Warren. She was then commissioned on December 23, 1944 under the command of Captain Thomas L. Wattles.

History

The Topeka had her shakedown in the West Indies before heading out to join the Pacific Fleet in April 1945. She headed to Pearl Harbor and had gunnery exercises before heading to the Ulithi Atoll. Arriving there on June 1, she joined Task Force 38.

From there, the Topeka attacked Ryukyus and Kyushu, working her way to Minami Daito. Once completed with that mission, the Topeka was sent to Leyte. She spent the rest of June there, and on July 1, headed out with the task force to attack the Japanese home islands. They hit Tokyo, Honshu, Hokkaido, Hakodate, and Muroran in the first half of the month. From there, they hit Tokyo again, Sagami Nada, and Nojima Zaki. A typhoon at the end of the month postponed further operations until August, when she headed back out again to Honshu.

Once hostilities ended, the Topeka remained in Japanese waters, entering Tokyo Bay in mid-September. She then headed back to the U.S. in early October, carrying more 500 veterans with her to Portland, Oregon. She then headed to San Pedro, California for an overhaul.

In early January 1946, the Topeka returned to the Far East in support of the occupation, making ports of call throughout Japan, China, the Philippines, Guam, and the Marianas. The trip lasted until the end of November, when she returned to San Pedro for an overhaul.

The Topeka returned to the Orient in late September 1947, joining Task Force 71. She operated out of bases at Shanghai and Tsingtao, patrolling the northern China coast during the civil war. She completed her duties in early March 1948 and headed to Nagasaki, Japan before returning to California in early May. She was then sent to Pearl Harbor for another overhaul, returning to the west coast at its completion. She was occupied in local duties until February 1949. In late February, she returned to San Francisco for inactivation, and she was decommissioned on June 18, 1949 and placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

On April 15, 1957, the Topeka entered the New York Naval Shipyard to be converted to a guided missile light cruiser of the Providence-class. She was given her new designation of CLG-8 on May 23. She was recommissioned on March 26, 1960 under the command of Captain Frank L. Pinny, Jr., and in July, she returned to the west coast. She had her shakedown off the coast of California, and spent the next three years operating in the western Pacific and along the West Coast.

In March 1964, she was sent out on another western Pacific cruise when the North Vietnamese attacked the Maddox and the Turner Joy. The Topeka then cruised the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin as the United States entered the Vietnam War. She headed back to California in late October and spent the next year in repairs, modifications and fleet exercises.

In late November 1965, the Topeka was sent back to the western Pacific to support the American and South Vietnamese forces. She operated in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin and made ports of call throughout the western Pacific. She returned home in late May 1966 and resumed normal operations. At the end of October, she had an overhaul done, which took until mid-March 1967 to complete. She then had sea trials and refresher training before resuming local operations. In August, she headed for the Mediterranean, stopping in Norfolk on the way. There she joined the 6th Fleet as the flagship for Task Group 60.2 and spent the next five months cruising the Mediterranean.

The Topeka finished her tour of duty in January 1968. She then returned to Long Beach by way of Puerto Rico and the Panama Canal. In February, she started availability. In mid- March, she was sent to her new home port in Mayport, Florida and received upkeep there until early May. She left Mayport in late June for another tour of duty in the Mediterranean. She made several ports of call before returning to Mayport in mid-December.

On January 30, 1969, the Topeka headed to Boston, arriving there on February 5. She was decommissioned on June 5 and removed from the Navy list on December 1, 1973. She was sold for scrap on March 20, 1975.

Asbestos Risks

While the Topeka enjoyed a full, active career, she did have one major risk. That was the fact that she was built using asbestos. A common ingredient in insulation of the time, this mineral led to the deaths of many of the men that served aboard her or worked in the shipyards where she was built and maintained.

Asbestos was known for being resistant to heat and fire, and the ease with which it could be used, along with its relatively low cost, made it a popular choice. What wasn't commonly known was the hazard that the mineral presented. When asbestos is disturbed, tiny particles break away from the source. When inhaled, these particles become trapped in the linings of the lungs and other major organs. The resulting irritation can develop into mesothelioma and asbestosis.

The workers and sailors of the Topeka were not informed of this risk and thus did not take any precautions while working with the mineral. Decades later, many were diagnosed with asbestos-related problems. If you are one of the victims, you may be eligible for compensation. For more information, please fill out the form on this page to receive a comprehensive packet in the mail.

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