Topeka (CLG 8) - Naval Cruise Book

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CRUISER DE TROYER ELOTILL THREE REAR ADMIRAL DONALD G. IRVINE USN Rear Admiral Donald G. Irvine, USN, commands Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Three The Flotilla is home td' , por e in Long Beach, California, and is composed of 46 ships, including three guided missile cruisers, three guided missile frigates and 37 conventional destroyers. RADM Irvine graduated from the Naval Academy in 1934, and during the following two years served aboard the cruiser MILWAUKEE. He attended Submarine School in New London, Connecticut, in 1937, and later that year was assigned to the submarine NARWAHL, In October 1941, he had duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and then was sent to the British Isles as a naval observer of British submarines. Later he was assigned to the U. S. Naval attache in London, England, where he at- tended the British Anti-Submarine Warfare School, and served aboard the British submarine TUNA d ' 'd uring a commando rai on Vasagso, Norway. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Britain's King George VI. In August 1942, he was assigned as surface training officer on the Staff of Commander-in-Chief, U. S. TENTH Fleet, for a two ear tour of duty. RADM Irvine, while attached to the submarine PINTADO in 1944, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for patrols in the China Sea. Later, while in command ofthe submarine PIRANHA, he was awarded the Silver Star for damaging or sinking more than 10,000 tons of Japanese shipping. Following the war he had a short tour of duty with the Submarine Decommissioning Unit at Mare Island. RADM Irvine returned to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations for a three year tour of duty in the Fleet Operational Readiness Di- vision. He attended the Armed Forces Staff College in 1949 and 1950, an upon graduation was assigned duty as Chief Staff Officer for Commander Submarine-Development Group TWO, Atlantic Fleet. In June 1951, RADM Irvine was assigned as Commander Submarine Division 53 at San Diego, California Then followed tours as: Head of Plans and Policy Review Section St ff I , a , C NCPACFLTg Commander Submarine Squadron .ONEg and Pro- fessor of Naval Science at the University of Texas. From 19 U ee oiler PASSUMPSIC and the cruiser BREMERTON. In April 1960, he became Chief Navy Section ' ' ' , , Assistance Advisory Group, Republic of China, and received the Legion of Merit for his service there. 58 to 1960, RADM Irvine was comn 'Ficer of the fl t He was assigned in August, 1962, as the Assistant Chief t :val Personnel for Education and Training. RADM Irvine assumed command of Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla THREE in January 1965. He resides with his wife, the former Elizabeth King of San Diego, California, at the U. S. Naval Station, Long Beach, California. COMMANDER r N I ,41-

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E ECUTI E OFFICER COMMANDER ROBERT D. PACE, JR. USN 1 1 Commander Robert D. Pace, Jr., born in Long Beach, California, January 29, 1925, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Pace. His deceased father was a former naval officer. He was graduated from Coronado High School, Coronado, California, in 1942, and from the University of California at Los Angeles CNROTCJ in 1946. After being commissioned an Ensign in February 1946, Commander Pace served aboard the light cruiser USS MONTPELIER as first division junior officer. From August 1946 to January 1947 he was assigned to the destroyer USS BARTON as first lieutenant. After a four-month tour ashore with Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego, Commander Pace served as executive officer aboard the submarine chaser PCS 1399, until November 1947. Then followed a seven-month assignment on the escort ship PCE 881 as engineer and first lieutenant. From June 1948 until March 1950, Commander Pace was assigned to the submarine chaser PCS 1444 as engineering officer, executive officer and commanding officer. After attending a Naval Electronics School he was assigned to the destroyer LOFBERG, where he served as gunnery officer during the Korean War. Upon pro- motion to Lieutenant in May 1952, Commander Pace served as Assistant Professor of Naval Science at the Uni- versity of Idaho for two years. Returning to sea duty in 1954, he was stationed aboard the attack aircraft carrier USS WASP for two years as communications officer. In August 1956, Commander Pacejoined the staff of Commander Nayal Forces Marianas. After his promotion to Lieutenant Commander in November 1957, he served as executive officer and navigator of the destroyer USS HOPEWELL. Upon graduation from the Naval War College in 1961, Commander Pace was assigned as aide and flag secretary to Commander SEVENTH fleet. He was promoted to Commander in 1962. Commander Pace commanded the destroyer USS TRATHEN from Aprill963 until March 1965. He became executive officer aboard TOPEKA in March, 1966. ' Married to the former Dawn Stewart Schott of Rockville, Maryland and, North Hollywood, California, Com- mander Pace has three children -- Robert D. III, Loren Elizabeth and Jennifer Stewart,

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CGMMANDER CRUISER DE TROYER ELOTILL ELEV N REAR ADMIRAL THOMAS S. KING, JR. USN Thomas Starr King, Jr., born in Wilmington, Delaware, December 7, 1914, is the son of Captain and Mrs. T,S, King, II, USN CRet.D. He entered the U. S. Naval Academy in 1932 and in 1936 was graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and was commissioned an Ensign. 1 He was first stationed aboard the battleship USS NEW MEXICO until December 1938. From March 1939 to June 1943, he served as fire control officer aboard the heavy cruiser USS WICHITA. RADM King was ordered to Annapolis in July 1943, for a course in Ordnance Fire Control and continued his stujies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was graduated witha Master of Science degree in electrical engineering in October 1945. After a 10 month tour as gunnery officer aboard the battleship USS ALABAMA, he joined the staff of Commander, Battle- ships-Cruisers, Atlantic Fleet, in September 1946. From January 1948 to July 1949, he commanded the USS WINSLOW, a destroyer converted for high priority experimental projects. Then followed a two year tour of duty in experimental development and proof of various types of ordnance at the Naval Proving Ground, Dahlgren, Virginia. He completed a senior course in Strategy and Tactics at the Naval War College in June 1952. Ordered next to the staff of Commander FIRST Fleet, he served for eight months before rotating to the staff of Com- mander SEVENTH Fleet, engaged in combat operations in the Korean theater. For meritorious service in Korea he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V . In August 1954, he assumed command of Destroyer Division 202. From October 1955 to September 1958, he was manu- facturing officer at the Naval Gun Factory, Washington, D. C. He then served for 15 months as Chief of Staff and Aide to Commander Carrier Division 18. In January 1960, RADM King assumed command of the USS OBSERVATION ISLAND, an experimental ship which tested the newly completed POLARIS Fleet Ballistic System. X In March 1961, he became commander of Destroyer Squad' In June 1962, he assumed command of Destroyer Flotilla FIVE, which was engaged in nuclear tests and sx , ...ration operations. In October 1962, and May 1963, he commanded a recovery group for the pick up of the ast -ts Commander Walter M. Schirra, USN, and Major Gordon Cooper, USAF. ' In August 1964, he became Executive Director for the Fleet Readiness and 'Training Group, Bureau of Naval Weapons, Washington, D. C. In June 1964, he was reassigned as Assistant Chief of Fleet Readiness Training. RADM King assumed command of Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla ELEVEN in August 1965. Married to the former Jeanne Sanford Everett of Everett, Washington, RADM King has three children -- Thomas Star A IV, William Kimberly and Ann Stuart. -