Lexington (CV 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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worked up to a smashing climax. The first mOmh'S operations, starting on Iuly I4, were entirely-un- eventful, no opposition being encountered at any time either over the target or over the force. Three days of operations, totaling 551 sorties, in support of the landing on Guam, three days of strikes on Palau, three more days early in August against the Bonins-all of these were carried out smoothly, in spite of often unfavorable weather, until the ship returned to Eniwetok on August IU, where she remained for the balance of the month. THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION In September the Third Fleet was organized under Admiral I-Ialsey. This month also opened slowly, with three uneventful days of strikes against Palau. These strikes, however, marked the last assaults of the fleet on Iapans outer defenses. From then on, the Lexington and the whole Third Fleet entered on a series of extended and arduous opera- tions over the Philippines, in support of IVfacArthur's campaign to recapture this lost territory, After two unopposed days of strikes on Mindanao, the fleet swung northward, and opened up on the Visayans. Air Group I9 met opposition for the first time on the l2th over Cebu, and in one melee accounted for fifteen enemy fighters. Thereafter their score mounted rapidly. On the 2lst, the fleet struck for the first time at the Manila area. The Lexington launched four deck! load strikes which did extensive damage to aircraft on the ground and to hangars and other installa tions, and heavily attacked two convoys caught off the west coast. For the first time all hands could feel that they were hitting the Iap where it hurt most, as they had done to us at Pearl I-larbor. The next morning was a hectic one, as isolated enemy planes made a series of runs on the force as flight operations began, and the first launch was accom panied by intermittent fire from the ships batteries, No damage was done, however, and the rest of the day ran off as scheduled. The coolness of the flight deck crew in carrying out their duties under such distracting conditions was a source of pride to all hands. With a concluding day of strikes against the Visayan area, the force retired for replenishment The Lexington spent several uneasy days at Kossole Roads, only eight miles north of Iap-held Babel- thuap, then retired to newly captured Ulithi. Back in Iapan, Tokyo Rose felt haunted. A mighty grey-blue carrier, untouched and untouchable, moved among her islands, ever closer to the Home- 15 IUNE, 1944-NIGHT ATTACK Two laps bum, while a hail of flak seeks out others. The one on the extreme left has just passed, buming, the length ot the fight deck, scorching the faces of those topside. Our gunners got 5 out of 8 Frances in this engage- ment. with assists on two more. A moment before this picture was taken, the Lexington just missed two torpedoes -by steering between them. No ship was hit in this engagement.

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enemy fleet. Though they never found the fleet fgp which they searched, they reached a point 450 miles from the ship before turning back, thus ppgv- ing for the first time that fighter planes could bg uesd on long-range flights of this type. The epic performance of Air Group l6 in the subsequent attack on the Iapanese fleet is told in a vivid and skilful book, Mission Beyond Darkness, by Lieu- tenant Commander Ioseph Bryan, lll, and Philip Reed. Nine planes and four pilots were lost in thing, engagement. These historic days were Air Group 16's last. After ten more days of milk runs over Guam, the ship was relieved and retired to Eniwetok. On Iuly 9 Air Group 16, by now rated one of the top three groups in the Pacific, was relieved by Air Group l9 for a well-earned rest. THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS Air Group 19 brought aboard the first squadron of Helldivers to operate from the Lexington. Re- garded with distrust at first, the ship soon learned to respect their Worth, and the skill of their pilots. The cooperation and tremendous enthusiasm of the new air group quickly won the esteem of all on board. The air groups tour of duty began slowly, but 191 Irma, 1944-Guam burns. This is how the Iapcmese P105 ound their landing fields on the day of the Turkey Shoot .

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Hunter-Killer search mission fant' b 1-su marinel against a Marianas sunset, Iune, 1944. Note the bombs clearly silhou etted beneath the belly. This SBD is equipped not only to s ot l k' ' ' ' I d. - p a ur ing sub, but to sink it, or drive it under, when oun land, manned by a multitude in the habit of United States sailors, the United States ensign fluttering at her peak, American Hellcats, I-lelldivers and Aveng- ers taking off and landing on her decks-and all the while Rose had personally and repeatedly sent her to the bottom of the Pacific. lt was a ghost, she said, a blue ghost-and Blue Ghost the Lexington has been from that day on. Such is the power of the press. FUN AT FORMOSA Operations in the real war began again early in October with the first strike of the war against Oki- nawa on October IO, a daring move that turned out to be surprisingly routine. After refueling, the force proceeded south and on the 12th opened three days of strikes against Formosa, where by contrast heavy and determined opposition developed. ln the f. . . irst fighter sweep Air Group 19 shot down twenty- eight enemy fighters over the targets, but no bogeys appeared over the force until nightfall Then a determined night attack began which lasted until 3:45 AM the next day. Although runs were made on the ship, and many torpedoes were dropped, no one in the force was hit, the strain,