Author Topic: USS Lexington, Close Encounter today...  (Read 421 times)

Offline Yeager

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USS Lexington, Close Encounter today...
« on: December 24, 2004, 10:37:17 PM »
Was at Top Foods this morning making hurried last minute preparations for the holiday feast.  Was absolutely crowded but I noticed a very old man walking past me with one of those black ball caps that have USN ships names on them.  As he walked past me I was astonished to see "U.S.S. Lexington CV-2".....

As we passed I just smiled at him and said "USS Lexington eh!"  He said "ya" and we passed right on by each other......

For those of you not versed in US Naval history, the "Lady Lex" was sunk at the Battle of Coral Sea on May 8th, 1942.  I only wished I could have stopped the man and talked with him but he was obviosuly very busy and in a hurry and there were so  many people jostling about it just seemed such a inapproproate time.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/coralsea/cs-5m.htm

Salute CV-2 and all who crewed her!
« Last Edit: December 24, 2004, 10:43:04 PM by Yeager »
"If someone flips you the bird and you don't know it, does it still count?" - SLIMpkns

Offline LePaul

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USS Lexington, Close Encounter today...
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2004, 10:46:29 PM »
Excellent read, thank you

Offline wklink

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USS Lexington, Close Encounter today...
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2004, 06:58:57 AM »
My grandfather served aboard her.

He never said much about it.  I kinda wish he would have told me more of what it was like.

I have his Navy Corpsman book that he had aboard the ship.  That, and the uniform on his back, were the only things he saved when the ship went down.
The artist formerly known as Tom 'Wklink' Cofield

Offline jigsaw

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USS Lexington, Close Encounter today...
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2004, 07:14:43 AM »
When I was living in Phoenix, the school I was instructing at required uniforms. Quite often I'd be running errands while dressed for work and would run into WWII vets. Seemed mostly like bomber pilots. They'd get a twinkle in their eye to talk about flying. Always took a few minutes to listen, regardless of if I was in a rush, and always thanked them for what they did.

Offline MwXX

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Interesting
« Reply #4 on: December 25, 2004, 07:49:57 AM »
USS. Lexington is currently permantly embedded in a channel along the shores of Corpus Christi Texas as a Musuem. Facing our SouthEast into the wind!

FYI, it is where all the Aircraft carrier scenes were filmed for the movie Pearl Harbor. They actually barged the aircraft from the Base here and craned them on the deck. The Controversy was when she was turned into a Japanese Carrier for the filming. Not to mention them Taking off on the actual deck to film the "take off" scenes. They would actually take off from the museum itself, land at the base and barged back over for another run or scene.

How do I know this?  I LIVE HERE!!!!!!! WOOOOOOT~ I get to drive by her everyday. LadyLex is lighted up at night as the Blue Ghost every evening. Beautiful site to be honest.

Oh yeah...did I mention it snowed on her for the first time this morning???? 100 years in this town since snow like this...Lady Lex is now...the "white ghost" this christmas!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

:aok

Offline MwXX

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USS Lexington, Close Encounter today...
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2004, 08:21:15 AM »
Schooled...:confused: :rofl

Offline MwXX

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USS Lexington, Close Encounter today...
« Reply #6 on: December 25, 2004, 09:12:58 AM »
LMAO, I was saying that I got schooled...

I had no idea...I thought they saved er, never knew it was the second one....

it was a compliment Gspot

:D