Topeka (CLG 8) - Naval Cruise Book

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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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COMMANDI CAPTAIN THOMAS C. BUELL USN Captain Thomas C. Buell, USN, born February 18, 1919 in Santiago, Chile, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd T, Buell. Before entering the U, S, Naval Academy in June 1937, he attended the University of Arizona for one year. He was graduated from the academy in 1941. The Pacific based destroyer USS HELM, was Captain Buell's first duty station. HELM was in Pearl Harbor on December 7, and was the first warship to get underway and sortie on that fateful morning. While aboard HELM, Captain Buell saw action in several campaigns in the South Pacific, Participated in the capture of the Marianas, Guam and the battle of the Eastern Philippines. In September 1944, Captain Buell was assigned to the precommissioning crew of the destroyer USS HUGH PURVIS, at Norfolk. He then commanded the destroyer escort USS HODGES and the destroyer USS RHIND. Captain Buell was ordered to the United States Postgraduate School in July 1946, for advanced study in engine- ering electronics. After graduation Captain Buell commanded the destroyer escort USS RABY before reporting for a three-year tour of duty as tactical and plans officer at Operational Development Forces Surface's Anti-Submarine Development Detachment, Key West, Florida. In December 1953, he took command of the destroyer USS ORLECK for a two-year tour that included parts of three deployment periods to the Western Pacific. Detached in December 1956, Captain Buell reported to the U.S Naval Ordnance M' '1 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 1ss1 e Test Facility, White Sands Missile Range, for two years as executive and operations officer. He was also officer in charge of Guided Missile Unit 21, which flight tested the TALOS guided missile. In' November of 1958 he took command of Mine Squadron NINE in Long Beach, California, where the training of foreign MAP mine-sweepers was included in his duties. Chief of Naval Operations was his next duty station wherei 1960 A g . . , n , Captain Buell was assigned to the staff of the Ship Characteristics Board. After attending the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, Class of 63, he assumed command of the amphibious flagship USS TACONIC, Captain Buell took command of TOPEKA November 13, 1964. ' Captain Buell is married to the former Miss Jacqueline Osborne of Montclair, New Jersey, and has three children -- Carol, Catherine and David. OFFICER

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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-