World War Photos

Click on thumbnail images to enlarge

The fourth USS Lexington, nicknamed the “Gray Lady” or “Lady Lex”, was the second aircraft carrier of the United States Navy.
She, and her sister ship USS Saratoga (CV-3), were originally authorized in 1916 for construction as battle cruisers of 35,300 tons with seven funnels and boilers disposed on two deck levels. After the war, and as a result of the lessons thereof, plans were to a large extent re-cast in 1919. Designated CC-1 and laid down as smaller battle cruisers on 8 January 1921 by Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts, they were both redesignated and re-authorized to be completed as aircraft carriers on 1 July 1922. As such, they were reduced in displacement by 8,500 tons, this reduction achieved mainly by the elimination of eight 16-inch guns in four twin turrets, with mounts, armor, etc. The main belt armor was retained, and the deck armor was heavily reinforced. The general lines of the hull remained unaltered, and the special system of underwater protection was adhered to. The flight deck was 880 Feet long, and from 85 to 90 Feet in width, and was mounted 60 Feet above the waterline. The mean draught was 24 Feet, 1.5 Inches. The ships had a complement of 169 Officers and 1,730 Men, including flying personnel. They carried eight 8-inch x 55 Caliber guns, twelve 5-Inch x 25 Caliber Anti-Aircraft guns, and four 6-Pounder Saluting guns. These two ships were the last two built with a catapult as part of the original design. The catapult had a travel of 155 Feet, and was strong enough to launch the heaviest naval aircraft then extant within 60 Feet. As built, these two ships had cranes for launching and retrieving seaplanes and flying boats, a capability that was removed during the war and replaced by additional AAA guns. The ships were designed to carry a maximum of 120 aircraft of various types, including Fighters, Scouts, and Bombers. Each ship cost a total of $45,000,000 with aircraft.
Lexington was launched 3 October 1925, sponsored by Mrs. Theodore Douglas Robinson (wife of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy), and commissioned 14 December 1927, Captain Albert W. Marshall in command.

Complement: ~2800 men
Displacement: 48500 tonnes (maximum)
Main Armament: 8 x 203 mm L/55 (4 × 2) – later 127 mm
Fate: sunk during the Battle of the Coral Sea, 8 May 1942

Bibliography:

• Lady Lex and the Blue Ghost, A Pictorial History of the USS Lexingtons CV-2 and CV-16 – Pictorial Histories Publishing Co. 1983
• Lexington Class Carriers – Steve Wiper, Warship Pictorial 11, Classic Warships Publishing 2001
• Stay the Rising Sun, The True Story of USS Lexington, Her Valiant Crew, and Changing the Course of World War II – Phil Keith, 2015
• Blue Skies and Blood: The Battle of the Coral Sea – Edwin P. Hoyt, 2003
• US Carrier War: Design, Development and Operations – Kev Darling 2011
• US Carrier Aircraft of World War 2 – Aeroplane Aviation Archive
• Aircraft Carriers of the United States Navy: Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives – Michael Green, 2015
• US Navy Aircraft Carriers 1922-45: Prewar classes – Mark Stille, Tony Bryan, Osprey New Vanguard 114
• The US Navy in World War II – Mark Henry, Osprey 2002
• Flight Deck: US Navy Carrier Operation 1940-1945 – Al Adcock, Squadron/Signal Publications Inc. 2002
• The Coral Sea 1942: The First Carrier Battle – Mark Stille, Osprey Campaign 214
• USN Carriers vs IJN Carriers: The Pacific 1942 – Osprey Duel 6
• Air Power at Sea – A Century of U.S. Naval Aviation 1911-2011
• Flat Tops and Fledglings: A History of American Aircraft Carriers – Castle Books 1971
• USS Lexington, USS Saratoga Cz.1 and 2 – Grzegorz Nowak, AJ-Press Encyclopedia of Warships 20 and 21  (polish)