Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 16:48:57 -0500
From: STEVE SAMFORD <Steve.Samford@Bush.NARA.Gov>
To: robbd@primenet.com
Subject:  Chicago

Greetings from a former Snipe. I was fortunate enough to have served
on CG-11 from June 72 until  Dec. 75 as a member of B division. Capt.
Buck was our CO and it was my pleasure to have visited him on several
occasions on a face to face basis. formally known as Captains Mast. I
have great memories of my time on the "CHI". Ive lost contact with the
majority of shipmates ,Robb. We did however gather a few of us
together about 5 years ago and met at the airport hotel in St. Louis for
the weekend. Those present were Tom Bland of Lewistown,Ill. Joe West
of San Antonio,TX. and myself, Steve Samford of College Station, Tx. Its
hard to get everybody together when there so spread out around the
country. Thank goodness for the Net. I used to have a model of the
Chicago like the one shown on your page. I bought one way back in
1978. Its long since dissappeared probably lost in one of the many
moves since then. If you know how to get another one I sure would like
the info. To all lost shipmates I can be reached at
steve.samford.@bush.nara.gov or call 409 690-0091 after 6:00pm. I
also believe there is a reunion of all Chicago surface ship personnel
coming up in the fall. I will get back to you on this. There is a club called
the USS Chicago Reunion Association that puts out a newsletter about
three times a year. It costs about ten bucks to join and get the
literature. The last record of its president was a Joe Esposito of Fountain
Hills, AZ. Your neck of the woods. He may have some interesting
comments to make and news of upcoming reunions and such. I had a
great time on the Chi, from Long Beach to San Diego,to
Japan,Singapore,Hong Kong,Mombasa,Karachi,Mauritius and
Vancouver Canada. What a trip. Oh,and of course you can never forget
Olangapo. We were there in dock for two and a half months in the
summer of "74. I was in fantasy land! The babes, the bands,the San
Miguel. But alas that base is no more and I dont know that I have the
constitution to do it again anyway. But I might try. I have really enjoyed
discovering your site here on the web and I will be back.

THANKS--Steve