It is with great pride that the shipmates of the U.S.S. ALASKA (CB-1) present the balance in the treasury to the Dunkirk Historical Lighthouse and Veteran's Park Museum.
As the reunion coordinator and editor of the ship's newspaper "North Star" for the past 26 years, Charles St. George has had to put the U.S.S. ALASKA (CB-1) Association to rest. Due to the decline in membership because of deaths and health problems, and the ages of the members who are no longer able to travel to reunions, in December 2011, St. George, with sadness, published his final issue of the North Star.
The issue went down memory land naming all 26 cities the crew has visited for its reunions. The first two were held in Allentown by a couple of men. After that, it was St. George at the helm.
Article Photos
Charles St. George hands a check to David Briska of the Dunkirk Lighthouse. Below, the final edition of the North Star.
Cities that reunions were held were from Buffalo to Seattle, Wash., Duluth, Minn., to New Orleans, La. The largest one in attendance was 1988 in Nashville, Tenn., with four busloads of people. The one remembered most was 1994 in Philadelphia at the 50th anniversary of the commissioning of the ship. The news media, television cameras, and reporters all gave the group a great reception. Thinking they would all see the celebration on TV and the newspapers and they were let down to see they were superseded by the O.J. Simpson parade down the streets in California. That was quite a disappointment for them.
St. George also hosted three cruises. One to Alaska, on to Bermuda and one through the Panama Canal.
When asked why he did this for so many years, his response was, "It has been a great pleasure to serve my shipmates and their families for the past 26 years."
St. George mentions that the U.S.S. ALASKA (CB-1) will continue their site, which is www.ussalaskacb-1.com. Any news will be forwarded to the site.
