Lexington (CVA 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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ANOTHER LEXINGTON fourth since the early days of AmerlCG lt was first authorized as a battle cruiser In August l9l6 Then in accordance with the terms of the Washington Treaty for Limitc tion of Armaments was converted to an aircraft carrier and launch ed on October 3 l925 at the Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy Massachusetts USS LEXINGTON CCV 21 and her sister ship USS SARATOGA CCV 31 were the tlrst carriers except for the experimental LANGLEY At the tlme of her launching LEXINGTON was the heaviest ship ever bullt She started her early days ln a hls torlc mood settmg varlous speed and perseverance records 21 IITIWII era steam, aircraft One particular boatswains mate aboard LEXINGTON from l925 to when she was sunk at the Battle of the Coral Sea in T942 once wrote in the ships paper: This is not a history by any means but perhaps I should tell of a couple high points in the LEXs career. In the winter of l929 the Pacific Northwest had a very severe cold spell. Because of the freezing conditions the hydro- electric power supply of Tacoma was cut off. Whoever thought of using the LEX for such a iob I don't know, but we steamed up there and tied up beside the Coleman dock. For three months her power plant furnished all that was needed for the community with some to spare. That tremendous power came into play again in T934 when it was decided the see what the old girl could do in a speed run. We left San Pedro and less than 75 hours later anchored off Honolulu .... The dear old LEX was tlrst in everything. Every war game the Fleet had, she came through in tlnding the enemy tlrst... At the outbreak of World War Two LEXINGTON was prepared to do her job. The men of this ship were exceptionally pround of her, and never called her LEXINGTON. She was always the Old Girl, the Old Lady, Lady Lex or the Big Girl.

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1 In March, I776 the Marine Committee ot the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. One member spoke of a Maryland brig :in Philadelphia which was ideal to tight oFF British ships and sug- ,. gested that the committee purchase it. . The vessel in question was the 86-toot brig WILD DUCK-trim, pierced for I7 guns and equipped with I6 tour-pounders. On March 22, I776, following a brief reconditioning period, the ship was commissioned. ' For 18 months the flrst LEXINGTON participated against the British, protecting American coastal trade. ln September, 1777 she drew the tlre of the HMS ALERT. The smaller American ship's guns were ineltective against the larger British man-ot- war girded with 76 guns. After a shot chase LEXINGTON was captured and a British prize crew returned her' to England. This small brig, although captured, did not dishonor the name LEXINGTON. She was chased down by a tar superior ship, more than twice her size. This LEX had been decisive in the capture of I8 British merchantmen and two large sloops. On June II, l826, the Sloop ot War LEXINGTON was commis- sioned and sent to protect American fishing vessels oft the coast of Labrador. In T843 she sailed to the Mediterranean and several years later was sent to the Pacific Squadron. During the Mexican War LEXINGTON operated along the coast ot California, assisting in the blockade of Mexican ships. The gallant sloop returned to the East in the early l85O's and shortly after ioined Commodore Matthew C. Perry's Expedition to Japan. She remained in the Far East tor two years and returned to New York in T855 where she was decommissioned and sold. Iiirst Ioxiogtoo -lor Illoo rooolotioo 1 I soooool Ioxiogtoo -ioitlo Ioolory to joooo In the years of a divided nation, a LEXINGTON flew Union colors. O O In 1861 Q third Lex was christened at Pittsburg. throoghouf me it Civil War LEXINGTON discouraged the advances of Confederate ships into northern rivers and supported troop movements. :lor ltlllo oortlo

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The Pacific campaign confinued aT a ferocious pace, and The Old Girls parf in The fighf was To be shorT-lived. On May 5, LEXINGTON and YORKTOWN ioined forces in The Coral Sea, searching for a fIeeT of Japanese carriers. On May 6, The Japanese carrier force was also sfeaming in The Coral Sea in search of The American Task force. Early on The morning of May 7 everyone was up early. The air was full of Tension as The opposing forces groped Toward one anofher. Scoufing planes were ouT early. AT 0730 a YORKTOWN piloT reporfed sighTing a Japanese scoufer-The American posifion was now known. AT 0800 The news came Through- Jap fleeT-one carrier, Three heavy cruisers, six destroyers-180 miles, course 120, speed 20 knoTs. WesTnorThwesT. ThirTy minuTes IaTer The IasT plane IefT The LEXINGTON on iTs way To hiT The Japanese. Score: one carrier, a heavy cruiser, a Tanker and a desTroyer-sunk. The nexT day was LEXlNGTON's lasT. The opponents knew each oTher's posifion, and The Japanese carriers SHOKAKU and ZUIKAKU were in The area. AfTer LEXINGTON and YORKTOWN launched Their lasT sfrike aircraff, silence fell over The Task force. There was no doubf Thaf a heavy Japanese air group would aTTack, and each man waiTed for The inevifable. From The lMC:' KATIE TO CARRIER. BIG FORCE OF ENEMY AIRCRAFT COMING IN FROM RIGHT AHEAD. THEY ARE 60 MILES AWAY. All hands manned Their baTTle sfafions, braced for The aTTack. LEXINGTON was sfeaming on The edge of The Task force, wiTh no proTecTing screen. A V More Than a hundred enemy aircrafT flew over in The next quarTer hour, The maioriTy being Torpedo planes and dive-bom- bers. As fasT as iT had begun iT was over-The TlrsT engagemenl' beTween ships wiThouT having even seen each oTher. LEXINGTON was noT so forTunaTe, for she had been The obiecT of The aTTack. DUTY-An artist's conception shows the fourth USS Lexing- ton, CV-2, tied alongside a pier in Tacoma where she was ordered in 1928 to stand by and supply power to that city then suffering from a severe power shortage. The Lexington was the only ship in the area at that time with facilities for supplying the needed power. . D 5