CLG-8 Topeka

The Providence Class Guided Missile Cruisers were converted from Cleveland class light cruisers, these ships carried the Terrier missile system in lieu of the Talos system installed on the identical Galveston class. All but Topeka had most of their forward weaponry removed with the aft deck rebuilt for the missiles. The Topeka retained her guns forward.

USS Topeka, a 10,000-ton Cleveland class light cruiser, was built at Quincy, Massachusetts. She was commissioned in December 1944, shook down in the Caribbean area and, in April 1945, transited the Panama Canal to join the Pacific Fleet.

Topeka was towed through the Panama Canal in early 1957 to undergo conversion to a guided missile cruiser at the New York Naval Shipyard. Redesignated CLG-8 in May 1957, she was in the yard for nearly three years, recommissioning in March 1960 with a greatly altered appearance, especially aft of amidships where her guns had all been replaced by a large superstructure, a launcher for "Terrier" anti-aircraft guided missiles, and an extensive suite of new radars.