AP :
In May 1942, the USS Lexington, along with 216 of its crew and 35 aircraft, was lost during the Battle of the Coral Sea.
Seventy-six years later, a search led by US billionaire Paul Allen has now located the wreckage around 800 kilometres off the coast of Queensland. Wreckage of the USS Lexington shows a decaying plate that reads “LEXINGTON”. The USS Lexington’s resting place – or at least the rough location – had been known for some time, but this expedition captured the first
photographs of the warship since it went down in WWII.
Video from Research Vessel Petrel captures the moment the crew noticed the iconic vessel’s nameplate lurking beneath layers of barnacles and debris at the bottom of the ocean.
Team leader Mr Allen, who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates, has invested heavily in under-sea exploration. His research vessel has discovered several other wrecks including that of another warship, the USS Indianapolis, last year. “To pay tribute to the USS Lexington and the brave men that served on her is an honour,” he said in a statement.
“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.”
USS Lexington, nicknamed “Lady Lex”, was originally designed as a battlecruiser but was converted into an early aircraft carrier for the US Navy. Lady Lex took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea along and was credited with helping stop the Japanese advance in the Pacific during World War II.
In the months before the Lexington went down, Japan had attacked the US battleship fleet at Pearl Harbour, and it was feared an invasion of Australia was imminent. Japanese forces had formed a solid defensive perimeter and were looking for ways to strengthen their gain and cut the lines of communication between Australia and the west coast of the US.
After a days-long stand-off between Japanese and Allied forces in the Coral Sea, the Lexington was defeated on May 8. Along with the USS Yorktown, Lady Lex had launched a number of bombers, torpedo bombers and fighters, but the combat air patrol did not have enough fuel to intercept attacks from Japanese bombers.
The Lexington, larger and less manoeuvrable than the Yorktown, was hit on both sides by multiple torpedoes and bombs. She managed to survive and continue deploying aircraft for several hours.
And it was not until a secondary explosion causing uncontrolled fires that Lady Lex finally went down.
The carrier was torpedoed and sunk by 8:00pm, and 216 crew were lost. US Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris, who is also President Donald Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to Australia, said he was elated at the find. “As the son of a survivor of the USS Lexington, I offer my congratulations to Paul Allen and the expedition crew of Research Vessel Petrel for locating the ‘Lady Lex’,” he said on Twitter.
“Our Navy’s strength comes from those who have gone before. This is our heritage. Our Navy’s strength comes from those who serve now. This is who we are.
In May 1942, the USS Lexington, along with 216 of its crew and 35 aircraft, was lost during the Battle of the Coral Sea.
Seventy-six years later, a search led by US billionaire Paul Allen has now located the wreckage around 800 kilometres off the coast of Queensland. Wreckage of the USS Lexington shows a decaying plate that reads “LEXINGTON”. The USS Lexington’s resting place – or at least the rough location – had been known for some time, but this expedition captured the first
photographs of the warship since it went down in WWII.
Video from Research Vessel Petrel captures the moment the crew noticed the iconic vessel’s nameplate lurking beneath layers of barnacles and debris at the bottom of the ocean.
Team leader Mr Allen, who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates, has invested heavily in under-sea exploration. His research vessel has discovered several other wrecks including that of another warship, the USS Indianapolis, last year. “To pay tribute to the USS Lexington and the brave men that served on her is an honour,” he said in a statement.
“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.”
USS Lexington, nicknamed “Lady Lex”, was originally designed as a battlecruiser but was converted into an early aircraft carrier for the US Navy. Lady Lex took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea along and was credited with helping stop the Japanese advance in the Pacific during World War II.
In the months before the Lexington went down, Japan had attacked the US battleship fleet at Pearl Harbour, and it was feared an invasion of Australia was imminent. Japanese forces had formed a solid defensive perimeter and were looking for ways to strengthen their gain and cut the lines of communication between Australia and the west coast of the US.
After a days-long stand-off between Japanese and Allied forces in the Coral Sea, the Lexington was defeated on May 8. Along with the USS Yorktown, Lady Lex had launched a number of bombers, torpedo bombers and fighters, but the combat air patrol did not have enough fuel to intercept attacks from Japanese bombers.
The Lexington, larger and less manoeuvrable than the Yorktown, was hit on both sides by multiple torpedoes and bombs. She managed to survive and continue deploying aircraft for several hours.
And it was not until a secondary explosion causing uncontrolled fires that Lady Lex finally went down.
The carrier was torpedoed and sunk by 8:00pm, and 216 crew were lost. US Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris, who is also President Donald Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to Australia, said he was elated at the find. “As the son of a survivor of the USS Lexington, I offer my congratulations to Paul Allen and the expedition crew of Research Vessel Petrel for locating the ‘Lady Lex’,” he said on Twitter.
“Our Navy’s strength comes from those who have gone before. This is our heritage. Our Navy’s strength comes from those who serve now. This is who we are.
