Brian and I spent one afternoon while in Corpus visiting the USS Lexington (CV-16), which is a US Decommissioned Aircraft Carrier (in 2003). Construction on it started in 1940, it was launched in 1942, and commissioned in 1943. It is currently docked in Corpus Christi, Texas and is a museum.
Fun Facts:
- There has been 7 USS Lexingtons':
- 1776 (a two masted sailing vessel)
- 1825 (a warship with a single gun deck which carried 18 guns)
- 1861 (a timerclad gunboat)
- 1917 (SP-705; a patrol vessel)
- 1922 (CC-1; a battle-cruiser)
- 1927 (CV-2; a Lexington-class aircraft carrier)
- 1943 (CV-16; an Essex-class aircraft carrier)
- It was originally build to be named the USS Cabot, but in 1942, the shipyard crew petitioned to have its name changed to the Lexington, as the shipyard originally built the USS Lexington (CV-2 [1927])
- Nicknamed The Blue Ghost by the Japanese as it was rumored to have been sunk several times and then would reappear shortly after and fully functioning.
- In 1980, the USS Lexington became the first aircraft carrier to have women stationed abroad it.
- It could carry 110 aircraft.
A Pearl Harbor exhibit aboard the ship
Before and after pictures of ships docked at Pearl Harbor
The USS Lexington (1776)
The USS Lexington (1943)
The aviation history of planes (model airplanes)
No comments:
Post a Comment