“Lady Lex.” “Gray Lady.” “The Blue Ghost.”

All of these were names given to the United States aircraft carrier USS Lexington.

Launched in October of 1925 and named for the earliest battle of the American Revolutionary War, the Lexington was a cornerstone of the naval fleet for the United States and served its entire time in the Pacific. In peacetime, the craft served various purposes, including delivering aid to Nicaragua after an earthquake and providing electricity to Tacoma, Washington during a power shortage in the town. During war, it served as back-up to allies in the Pacific, and rested and was refitted at Pearl Harbor.

But 76 years ago,the ship found itself on one final voyage to the bottom of the sea. From then on, nobody knew where to find it. It had truly become like a specter in the night, and vanished, seemingly forever. The attack began at the beginning of May 8^th, and by the end of the day the carrier was declared a loss with 216 killed and 2,735 evacuated. For years explorers had searched, yet for a such a big target, it remained strangely elusive.

Until Sunday, March 4, 2018.

The Lexington had been hit by multiple torpedoes and bombs on May 8 but it was a secondary explosion causing uncontrolled fires that finally warranted the call to abandon ship. The USS Phelps delivered the final torpedoes that sank the crippled Lady Lex, the first American aircraft carrier casualty in history. making it the first American aircraft carrier casualty in history. With other U.S. ships standing by, 2,770 crewmen and officers were rescued, including the captain and his dog Wags, the ships ever-present mascot.

During the Battle of the Coral Sea the Japanese navy sank USS Lexington (CV-2), USS Sims (DD-409), and USS Neosho (AO-23), and damaged the USS Yorktown. The Japanese lost one light carrier (Shōhō) and suffered significant damage to a fleet carrier (Shōkaku).

Explorer Paul G. Allen has been on the lookout for the Lexington for quite some time now, and with great enthusiasm reported the find via YouTube. The ship was found 800 kilometers off the coast of Australia at a depth of 3,000 meters. Along with it were the remarkably well preserved remains of the 35 aircraft aboard at the time of sinking. Many observers on the internet were quick to point out that it’s one of the more well-preserved wrecks, considering its immense amount of time at the bottom of the sea.

In a quote to the media, Allen said “to pay tribute to the USS Lexington and the brave men that served on her is an honor. As Americans, all of us owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who served and who continue to serve our country for their courage, persistence, and sacrifice.”

Remarkably preserved aircraft could be seen on the seabed bearing the five-pointed star insignia of the US Army Air Forces on their wings and fuselage. Picture: AFP

Allen also noted that the carrier went down only a month before the Battle of Midway, which was considered a staggering defeat for Japanese forces and a major turning point in the Pacific Front of World War 2.

Veterans celebrated the discovery and paid tribute to those who were lost on the vessel as well as those who survived. The current voice of Pacific Command had quite a special message, himself.

“As the son of a survivor of the USS Lexington, I offer my congratulations to Paul Allen and the expedition crew of Research Vessel (R/V) Petrel for locating the “Lady Lex,” sunk nearly 76 years ago at the Battle of Coral Sea,” said Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., head of the U.S. Pacific Command. “We honor the valor and sacrifice of the “Lady Lex’s” Sailors — all those Americans who fought in World War II — by continuing to secure the freedoms they won for all of us.”

Read more at https://www.paulallen.com/uss-lexington-wreck-located-rv-petrel/