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Page 36 text:
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Gen. Marshall and Admiral King watch air operations during the Lexington's training period. for duty as part of the Pacific Fleet. At this stage in the war the Navy had not yet captured the forward anchorages-Eniwetok, Ma4 juro, Ulithi-A--which were all the port that fleet personnel were to see at a later stage, and task forces were in the pleasant habit of retiring to Pearl l-larbor between operations. The Lexingtons first mission was such an operation -- -a one-day raid on Tarawa late in September, followed two weeks later by a two-day attack on Wake lsland, the ship returning to Pearl after each mission. From November 19 to 24 she supported the hard- fought landings in the Gilbert Islands, flying searches and a series of destructive strikes on Mille. On the twenty-third her fighters and fighter direc- tors got their first chance to exercise their skills, with brilliant success, when twelve fighters ac- counted for seventeen out of a flight of twenty Fighter pilots wait in the ready room before the Tarawa raid: Autographing 1000 lb. bombs before the Lexington s hrs! blow in the war-the raid on Tarawa. planes. The next day another twelve got twglve. more, Ship and air group were now a smooth. functioning combat team. ln the action report covering this engagement Captain Know Rear Admirall Stump, said, This Commanding Officer would be interested to know if, in the brilliant records of other Fighting Aircraft Units in this war, such a record has been equalled lt is probable that the courageous and aggressive action on the part of Fighting Sixteen, in promptly intercepting and shooting down twenty-nine lapae nese planes, demoralized the lapanese Air Com- mand in the Marshalls to such an extent that they were temporarily unable to send any more planes toward the Gilberts while we remained on the inter- cept station, and by thus stopping air attacks from the Marshalls, Fighting Sixteen contributed an ap- preciable share to the successful conclusion of the conquest of the Gilbertsf' THE LEX GETS l-llT After refueling, the force proceeded on their next mission, a raid on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshalls. Tough opposition was encountered and the Lexing- ton rose to the occasion. Over the target, twelve Lexington l-lellcats ran into approximately thirty Zekes. When the shooting was over, nineteen enemy fighters and one Betty bomber had been destroyed in the air, and three Bettys on the around. Meanwhile the bombers and torpedo planes attacking the shipping had damaged two cruisers and blown up a cargo ship. While returning from this strike the SBD's encountered enemy fighters 'K K.. fi, I, fl ,fr .1 ll' ,., I' f ,ft ,ty I, f til i ,1.-3 ' fa--' ' '..f fr, ,. l ll V, i.. vi' if l tll i l i l l i ati 0 Qt 6 44-1
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Page 37 text:
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and bombers and shot down six Zekes and one Betty on their way back to the ship. The 101411 score of our group for this one strike was twenty- seven enemy aircraft shot down in the air, three bombers destroyed on the ground, one large cargo ship sunk, one cruiser sunk and one cruiser proba- bly sunk. Meanwhile, at noon, the ship underwent a skilful, coordinated torpedo attack by enemy planes. Two torpedo planes were first sighted by lookouts com- ing in on the starboard side. The Lexington imme- diately opened fire, the first ship in the group to do so. lntense and accurate fire from Lexington guns brought both planes down in flames, the first 200 yarcif ahead and the second 500 yards astern of the ship. A third plane was immediately sighted which closed to 1800 yards and dropped its torpedo before being hit and crashing on the starboard beam. Within the space of a few minutes Lexington gunners had destroyed three enemy torpedo planes and had probably saved the ship--a feat they were to perform many times in the future. Many enemy planes, however, escaped our fighters and retiring to their bases made prepara- tions for a night torpedo attack. A full moon would be out to aid them and the evening promised to be lively, From 6:46 P, M. to 1:47 the next morning, the force was under skilful and prolonged attack, which culminated in a hit on the Lexington. The official Ships History tells the story: At 1925 bogies began closing and the other Task Group began firing. Both groups were maneuver- ...f . ' X - ' 5 1 A , , N.- , ,. .. .X Wg., I--, ,.,. I - . . if O ,B tRightB Take Off! The signal officer gives the g signal to the first fighter in cr strike. W k I h .1 An SBD taxis up the deck, its bomb racks empty. a e as we e 1.
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