Lexington (CV 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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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,

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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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however, of remaining at General Ouarters all night and again all the next night, was severe. In spite of enemy planes in the area, all launches the next day went off without interference. The japanese, however, brought in reinforcements dur ing the day and that night attacked again. A uhh in another task group was hit, and the force stood by all night to assist her, sending off a further diversionary fighter and bomber sweep before dawn the next day. On the return of this flight retirement began, held back by headwinds and heavy seas. All day enemy scouts kept the force in sight, Early in the afternoon, a single plane made of run on the Lexington and dropped a torpedo in her wake, without success. A short while later, evening chow was dis rupted by the general alarm and the firing of the starboard batteries, The Lexington had once again been the first to spot an incoming attack group, ten or more fills ttorpedo planesi, and she had promptly opened fire at 16,000 yards. Her intense and accurate fire destroyed three of the attacking Iills and assisted in shooting down two others. The attack did only minor damage to another unit in the group. Shortly after, the group's defensive fighters intercepted and wiped out a further flight of eighteen enemy planes. This broke the back of the attack, and the force made good its retirement. TI-IE SECOND BATTLE OF TI-IE PHILIPPINE SEA The force lingered in the north for several days to protect the retirement of her damaged ships, and also in the hope of encountering Iapanese fleet units, reported on the move, Then proceeding south, the Lexington's task group launched a series of strikes on October 21 on Southern Luzon and the Visayans. On the 24th she returned to Luzon. The 24th of October, the first day of the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, is a day that will per- haps linger longest in the memory of the crew ot the Lexington. Dawn found the task group alone to the east of Luzon, north of the rest of the force. Sub- marines had sighted enemy surface forces to the west of the Philippines on the previous day, and the Lexington now launched five search teams of eight planes each to locate them, while the rest of the group sent strikes over Luzon. At 8:00 AM the radars detected many, many bogeys closing, and all available fighters were launched. From this time on, the group was under constant dive-bombing attack throughout the day from shore-based and carrier-based planes. Most skilful use by Admiral Sherman of the protection of a large rain sguall in the vicinity, together with splendid work by the defending fighters, kept the bulk of the attackers at bay. Isolated planes, how- ever, occasionally broke through, it was in this action that the bomb was dropped on the Princeton which eventually caused her loss through the ex plosion of her own torpedoes ln the midst of this action, a large enemy force was reported in the Sibuyan Sea, and all available planes were immediately dispatched to the attack Though armed only with General Purpose bombs instead of torpedoes, they did considerable damage, the Lexingtons air group hitting a battleship and three cruisers. ln the afternoon the Lexington was ordered to send searches to the northeast of the group, where a second enemy force was suspected. The suspicion was shortly confirmed, when many, many bogeysf were again spotted closing, this time from the north east. Again sterling work by the defending team of fighters and fighter directors on the radar inter cepted and broke up the attack. Although one bomb dropped just off the ships starboard quarter, by 4:00 PM the attacks were concluded without damage. Altogether, the task group's fighters shot Palau burns. Iuly 27. 1944. Lexington planes pay a return visit cmd leave cz calling card. down l50 planes in the Course of the day, Air Group I9 accounting for 63. Even the brilliant action oi the following day came as an anti-climax to the Lexington While all this was going on, one of the search planes sighted the second force to the northeast, reporting it to contain four carriers and a converted battleship, with over a dozen support ships. Con- tact was immediately lost again when enemy planes drove him off. During the night, a night search plane again made contact, only to lose it once more because of operational difficulties.