Lexington (CV 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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Later that year, almost as if to prove her added worth against such charges, Lexington was dis- patched by the Secretary of the Navy to the city of Tacoma, Washington, which was suffering a severe power shortage due to a low water supply. Arriving there December 17, she kept the fires in her boilers going exactly a month supplying electric current to the city, 4,251,160 k.w.h. were delivered, and the city was subsequently billed by the Navy. A metropolitan crisis was averted by this unus- ual role and the ship was free to steam south for operations at sea off San Diego with Langley and Saratoga. After a brief stop in that port, and upon completion of a minor battle problem on February 14, CV-2 sailed with the Battle Fleet for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Operating from this base, the ship conducted maneuvers with the Army in the Canal Zone. Upon completion of this assignment Lexzngton proceeded to Norfolk Navy Yard to serve as a 18 public exhibit, following several weeks in that capacity she steamed back to the west coast to rejoin the Fleet there. Again in Guantanamo the next spring, she was available for extensive relief operations when a severe earthquake struck Nicaragua. Leaving the Cuban base on April 1, 1931 she steamed toward the distressed nation, sending off her planes on a continuous mercy mission supplying medicine and food, as well as transporting doctors, until the emergency was over. That year the annualspring exercises - involv- ing Langley, Saratoga, Lexington and other fleet units-were staged in Panama Bay. The follow- ing years they were conducted in the Pacific Q1932Q, between Hawaii and the West Coast Q1933j, on both sides of the Panama Canal Q1934j, in the triangle of Hawaii,the Aleutians and Puget Sound 1935 , the Pacific side of Panama 1936i and in the Hawaiian area 419375 C D . . . 7 . C , - ..

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CV-219 Marine Deiachrnentforrns an' of the island under two of her 8 55 tur- reis. Right, during the 193019 Lexing- ton, Ranger and other U S. carriers rendezvoused each spring for combined exercises. Resting at anchon below, the HLady Lex sei several speed and en- durance records during herjirsi decade ofservice.