. Raids later in the day saw Lexington's planes aid in eliminating the light carrier Zuiho and the cruiser Nachi. Even worse, the carriers were able to do it undetected. At 1120 that morning, two Type 91 torpedoes slammed into her side. Following a raid on Truk on April 28, the Japanese again believed the carrier to have been sunk. The next day, its pilots contributed to the destruction of the light carrier Chitose and received sole credit for sinking the fleet carrier Zuikaku. Walter Ray Pentico was born on March 31, 1923 to parents Sherman and Ethel Pentico in Overton. The obvious answer is the Japanese carrier attack of December 7th, 1941. Our offices are closed due to the stay-at-home orders by the State of Hawaii. At 1538, after a series of explosions threatened her stability, crews started to report that the fires couldn’t be put out. Rejoining the fleet on May 22, Lexington formed part of Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague's task force off Leyte. Moving north to the Marianas, Mitscher's carriers next began reducing Japanese air power in the islands prior to the landings on Saipan in June. LEXINGTON — Four years after the decision was made to disinter the unidentified remains of those who perished on the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor, 242 have been identified, but a Lexington sailor is still among the unknown. The presence of the Allied task force was revealed and the Japanese moved to intercept it. The plan was halted when Japanese submarine I-71 sank the USS Neches (AO-5), the only tanker available for refueling. During the 1930s, Japan, having already annexed Korea in 1910, sought to further expand its empire, particularly to gain natural resources. On May 4, 1942,the Allied forces engaged Japan in the Battle of the Coral Sea between New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless on the USS Lexington, 1941. The intent was to prove Hawaii’s defense capabilities, but the attack again proved successful on March 29, 1938. Despite being ready for the raid, the element of surprise was lost when unknown aircraft were spotted just 35 miles from Lexington. Your email address will not be published. Steaming in the Gulf of Mexico, the carrier trained new naval aviators in the art of taking off and landing at sea. A year later, just before Fleet Problem XIV began in February, Lexington and Saratoga were once again employed to strike Pearl Harbor. Among these exercises were mock attacks on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor. Taking over the training role on December 29, Lexington began routine operations out of Pensacola, FL. Using depth charges launched by Devastator torpedo bombers, Lexington was able to navigate the Pacific without serious incident and even claimed to have damaged a Japanese submarine thought to be I-19. USS Lexington (CV-16) at sea in the 1960s. On June 25th, 1941, the USS Colorado (BB-45) had just finished intensive training exercises when she was ordered to Puget Sound Navy Yard on the west coast of the United States. Later in the summer, Lexington supported the invasion of Guam before raiding the Palaus and Bonins. Returning to the Gilberts in November, Lexington's aircraft supported the landings on Tarawa between November 19 and 24 as well as mounted raids against Japanese bases in the Marshall Islands. Five years later, during Fleet Problem XIX, Saratoga and Lexington were called upon for another strike against Pearl Harbor. At this time, the U.S. fleet’s aircraft carriers — the USS Enterprise, USS Lexington and USS Saratoga — were not at Pearl Harbor, either completing assignments or heading to the U.S. for scheduled repairs. “A. It was there that the crew of the Colorado learned about the … USS Lexington (CV-16) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier that entered service with the US Navy during World War II. 71 YEARS AGO. My recollection is that Wake is some 2,000 miles from Pearl Harbor. In 1937, Japan invaded the rest of China and by some estimates killed as many as 300,000 people during the infamous Nanking Massacre. On the morning of May 8, Lexington came under Japanese attack. The USS Lexington (CV-2), an iconic warship of the US Navy, wasn’t originally intended to be an aircraft carrier. She was also decorated with the American Defense Service Medal (w/ “Fleet” clasp), the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. The strike was scheduled for February 21 and Task Force 11 was able to move into position at the launching point northeast of Rabaul. During this period, it suffered a notable casualty when the F4F Wildcat flown by 1939 Heisman Trophy winner Nile Kinnick crashed off the coast of Venezuela on June 2. The final Essex-class carrier still in use, Lexington was decommissioned on November 8, 1991. We hope to see you soon. In 1938, Lexington and Saratoga mounted another successful raid on Pearl Harbor during that year's Fleet Problem. In January 1942, after undergoing generator repairs, Lexington and Task Force 11 set off to patrol the waters around Johnston Atoll but, on January 9, they were spotted by Japanese submarines. 4, Lexington and Saratoga proved that it was completely possible for aircraft carriers to launch an airstrike against Pearl Harbor. The ship's After that the Cabot changed its name to Lexington and joined the Fifth Fleet at Pearl Harbor. On June 16, 1942, Navy Secretary Frank Knox approved the renaming of the carrier, making her the fifth Lexington to sail in the US Navy. US Naval History and Heritage Command. China would lose … USS Lexington (CV-16) underway during World War II. Explosion on the USS Lexington, 8 May 1942. Continuing to operate against the Marshalls, the carrier's planes struck Kwajalein on December 4 where they sank a cargo ship and damaged two cruisers. The following year it commenced a deployment with the US 7th Fleet in the Far East with Yokosuka as its home port. Two Grumman JF Duck amphibians and a Vought O2U Corsair were the ship’s observation and rescue planes. (U.S. Navy) Vice Adm. William Halsey, Jr., was a tough and direct man. Immediately, the training was cancelled and stopping the Japanese offensive became the main focus. This state-of-the-art multi-media exhibit, on Tour Route 2 in the ship’s foc’sle, features a film montage that retells the story of the attack on Pearl Harbor, enveloping you in this historic and devastating event. Required fields are marked *. This delay ultimately saved the Fore River Shipbuilding Company of Quincy, MA a headache, allowing her to be redesigned as an aircraft carrier to comply with the terms of the Washington Naval Conference of 1922. Seven, the USS California, USS Maryland, USS Oklahoma, USS Tennessee, USS West Virginia, USS Arizona and USS Nevada were moored on Battleship Row. In fact, eight battleships, three cruises and four destroyers were present in the harbor when the bombs started to fall. Nearly 80 years later, a Navy sailor from Arizona killed during Pearl Harbor attacks identified Navy Seaman 1st Class Carl S. Johnson was killed in the Pearl Harbor attacks. On the afternoon of October 25, Lexington sustained a hit from a kamikaze which struck near the island. By December 23, before Saratoga could even arrive, Wake Island was under Japanese control and Lexington’s diversionary plan was never enacted. Recommissioned on August 15, 1955 with Captain A.S. Heyward, Jr. in command, Lexington began operations out of San Diego. USS Lexington (CV-16) is prepared for launching at Quincy, MA, September 1942. Working quickly, damage control parties contained the resulting fires and devised a temporary steering system. Repaired at Ulithi after the battle, Lexington spent December and January 1945 raiding Luzon and Formosa before entering the South China Sea to strike at Indochina and Hong Kong. Though this structure was badly damaged, it did not severely hamper combat operations. Over the next year, the carrier's hull took shape as the US entered World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Though two Japanese planes were shot down, a third eluded the combat patrol. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, more than one ship was sitting in the harbor that day. As the sun rose over Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the USS Nevada was moored on Battleship Row and the ship band was playing “Morning Colors.” When the Japanese attack began, the USS Nevada was the only ship that was able to maneuver, as it was not moored alongside another battleship. The explosion flooded three of her boiler rooms, reduced her speed to a maximum of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) and killed six of her crewmen. These saw modifications to Lexington's island, the creation of a hurricane bow, installation of an angled flight deck, as well as a strengthening of the flight deck to handle newer jet aircraft. These efforts continued until mid-August when Lexington's final raid received orders to jettison its bombs due to the Japanese surrender. Fully repaired on February 20, 1944, Lexington joined Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher's Fast Carrier Task Force (TF58) at Majuro in early March. After returning to Boston for maintenance, Lexington departed for the Pacific. Its frequent reappearance in combat coupled with its blue camouflage scheme earned Lexington the nickname "The Blue Ghost.". Hitting Formosa again in late January, Mitscher then attacked Okinawa. With tensions rising with Japan two years later, Lexington and the US Pacific Fleet were ordered to remain in Hawaiian waters after exercises in 1940. USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Saratoga (CV-3). In July 1958, it returned to Far East to reinforce the 7th Fleet during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. After striking targets in the Caroline Islands in September, the carrier commenced attacks against the Philippines in preparation for the Allied return to the archipelago. Moving to the war zone, the carrier conducted raids against Tarawa and Wake Island in September. Passing through the Panama Canal, it arrived at Pearl Harbor on August 9. Withdrawing, Lexington made for Pearl Harbor before proceeding on to Bremerton, WA for repairs. The Lexington was critically damaged by Japanese forces during the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 8, 1942, and the U.S. Navy was forced to scuttle it. The USS California was officially ordered on the 28th December 1915 and laid down on the 25th October 1916. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our Terms & Conditions. Rather than continue with the mission to transport the SB2U’s, Lexington and the task force were charged with trying to cut off Japan’s striking force and rendezvous with the ships of Vice Admiral Wilson Brown just off of Niihau Island, Hawaii. USS Lexington (CV-2), 1927-1942 USS Lexington (CV-2), one of the U.S. Navy's first two aircraft carriers, was commissioned in December 1927 at Quincy, Massachusetts. At the time of the switch, construction on the USS Lexington was only 24% complete, giving builders the chance to reduce her displacement by removing her main armament and reducing the height of the armor belt. With the reduction in fleet strength after the war, Lexington was decommissioned on April 23, 1947 and placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Puget Sound. Steaming south, Lexington conducted a shakedown and training cruise in the Caribbean. We apologize for any inconvenience. Pearl Harbor: Course of Valor. The ship was built in the Mare Island naval shipyard in Vallejo, California. On June 19-20, Lexington took part in the victory at the Battle of the Philippine Sea which saw American pilots win the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" in the sky while sinking a Japanese carrier and damaging several other warships. © 2020 VisitPearlHarbor.Org All rights reserved. Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. Wake Island is closer to Japan than Hawaii, and Washington didn’t want Japan to know the Marines were … After replenishing at Ulithi, Lexington and its consorts moved north and commenced attacks on Japan in February. Navy Mess Attendant 3rd Class Isaac … It should have come as no surprise that Japan was capable of attacking Pearl Harbor using aircraft carriers. at Pearl Harbor The U.S. Navy cruiser, USS Raleigh,was berthed on the north side of Ford Island, ahead of the obsolete battleship, USS Utahon December 7, 1941. Launched on September 23, 1942, Lexington slid into the water with Helen Roosevelt Robinson serving as sponsor. National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Hawaii Locals First To Return to Pearl Harbor. CORPUS CHRISTI – The staff and volunteers of the USS LEXINGTON will hold a Commemoration Ceremony on board the WWII aircraft carrier at 2:00 pm, Friday 7 December 2012, to mark the 71st anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941.. Admiral Chester Nimitz, who had replaced Admiral Kimmel in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack, ordered Task Force 11 to be diverted to raid Wake Island. Like Japan had done at Pearl Harbor, the task force was to approach the harbor at Rabaul without being detected. In addition to carrying a larger air group, the new design possessed a greatly enhanced anti-aircraft armament. This was followed by USS Cabot (CV-16) which was laid down on July 15, 1941 at Bethlehem Steel's Fore River Ship in Quincy, MA. Others even returned Japanese fire. Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 December 1941 --USS Curtiss during the Pearl Harbor Attack. It was launched to sea on 20th November 1919 and commissioned on 10th August 1921. On her return, Lexington’s task force—which was redesignated Task Force 11—was provided an additional escort of four destroyers before setting off to the Marshall islands to raid Jaluit, a Japanese base. Her crew scrambled to put out fires, but as the day wore on, the flames proved uncontrollable. Launched in October of 1925 with aircraft repair shops and enough space to carry over 100 aircraft, the USS Lexington was formally commissioned into the US Navy under the command of Captain Albert Marshall on December 14, 1927. In the first of several instances, the Japanese believed the carrier to have been sunk. Her hangar became the largest enclosed space on any seagoing vessel and covered 33,528 square feet. The USS Shaw explodes on December 7, 1941, during the Pearl Harbor attack. Six patrol planes were launched from the carrier, along with two fighters, hoping to cut off the unknown aircraft before the task force’s presence was revealed. USS Ward (DD-139) is the most talked about destroyer from the Pearl Harbor attack. Author: Brian Burns Her keel wasn’t laid down until 1921, as anti-submarine vessels and merchant ships took priority. The raid was a prelude to the Battle of the Coral Sea and wound up providing Allied forces continuous victories in the latter half of 1942. . (Navy, 239) The timing of the trips depended on several factors, first being logistics. USS Lexington (CV-2), nicknamed "Lady Lex", was an early aircraft carrier built for the United States Navy. On 7 December 1941, the year-old seaplane tender Curtiss was tied up to mooring bouys at the mouth of Pearl Harbor's Middle Loch, across the channel from Ford Island. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic tourism in Hawaii has halted. Curtiss F6C fighters on the flight deck of USS Lexington (CV-2), 1929. In October, Mitscher's task force moved to cover MacArthur's landings on Leyte. She was due to be transferred to Pearl Harbor, but after the attack. On the morning of the attack, Lexington was about 500 miles southeast of Midway but was ordered to return once the attack started. In 1931, the Japanese invaded Manchuria, a small, resource-rich province in northern China, and set up a puppet state called Manchukuo. Afterward, the task force was joined by Task Force 17 and the USS Yorktown (CV-5). These two ships were berthed at this location in place of the aircraft carriers Lexingtonand Enterprise, who were away at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The battle proved costly for both sides, though Japan ended up losing more of its assets. On June 16, 1942, Cabot's name was changed to Lexington to honor the carrier of the same name (CV-2) which had been lost the previous month at the Battle of the Coral Sea. DECEMBER 7 th. At 1915, the destroyer USS Phelps (DD-360) scuttled the stricken carrier. Diamond Head, Oahu is in the background. Lexington was modernized after the war and continued to serve with the US Navy until 1991. The new USS Lexington (CV-16) was commissioned on February 17, 1943 and remained in service until 1991. As global tensions increased, Japan and Italy departed the treaty structure in 1936. It was nicknamed “the Prune Barge”. Much like they had done at Pearl Harbor, they were able to launch an attack without being spotted by the fleet in place to defend the coast. LUSS Lexington (CV-2) est, avec son sister-ship l'USS Saratoga (CV-3), l'un des deux premiers « vrais » porte-avions de la marine américaine (la mention CV pour carrier vessel indique le numéro d'ordre de la coque parmi les porte-avions américains il permet de distinguer des bâtiments portant successivement le même nom, comme l'USS Lexington (CV-16), mis en service en 1943). World War II/Vietnam War: USS Shangri-La (CV-38), History of the USS Boxer and Its Involvement in the Korean War, M.S., Information and Library Science, Drexel University, B.A., History and Political Science, Pennsylvania State University. The strike was scheduled for February 21 and Task Force 11 was able to move into position at the launching point northeast of Rabaul. 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