USS Lexington (CV-2) wreck found .. 4 March 2018 [revised]

Kyleb · **Posted:** Fri Mar 09, 2018 11:57 pm

CoastieJohn wrote:

garbs wrote:

I noticed some of the target shadows are facing 180 degrees from each other. I'm taking a stab and speculating we're seeing a composite of track lines fused together to form the image we see?

I'm with you on this. Definitely a composite using several scans. I don't think you can get this level of detail from a wider swath scan.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Sat Mar 10, 2018 8:36 am

Thanks Mark for the photos of the ship.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:19 am

Perhaps Paul Allen will try to locate the carriers Wasp the Hornet next.

Shay · **Posted:** Sat Mar 10, 2018 1:38 pm

CoastieJohn wrote:

For grits-n-giggles, has anyone located any archival video footage of the Lex showing some of the located airframes? That would be something to see 1942 footage and then see a current color pic of the same airframe.

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675054241_USS-Lexington_aircraft-carrier_naval-guns_aircraft-stand-stationary-on-the-flight-deck

Im sure some might turn up. I thought I read somewhere that a TBD T-8 had been sighted, this vid shows a TBD 6-T-8. Not sure if its the same aircraft in the earlier paint scheme or not. Like today, aircraft markings can change from one day to the next. Im sure Paul's team has images of BuNos and the research efforts are most likely on their way as we speak as I'd bet a shiny nickle the certain unpublished images and info have already been shared with the NMNA in Pensacola.

Quote:

Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighters, of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3) in flight near Naval Air Station, Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii, 10 April 1942. The planes are Bureau # 3976 (F-1, foreground), flown by VF-3 Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander John S. Thach, and Bureau # 3986 (F-13), flown by Lieutenant Edward H. O'Hare. Photographed by Photographer Second Class H.S. Fawcett.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-10613).

On February 20, 1942, F-1, flown by Thach and LT Noel Gayler, shot down a bomber and assisted in downing two more bombers and a patrol plane. F-13, flown by Thach and ENS Leon Haynes, shot down a bomber and assisted in downing another bomber and a patrol plane.

Both of these aircraft were lost a little less than a month later with USS Lexington (CV-2), during the Battle of Coral Sea.

Hopefully the team spots these 2 Wildcats down there as well.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7557

More photos today from the RV Petrel folks.

This is the port aft 5" gun just forward of the break in stern section of hull.

These are the two quad guns just aft of the exhaust.

another gun outboard of the exhaust stacks. 20mm

This is the break in the hull just forward of frame 72. The ship just falls away into the seafloor from here forward.

Port side 20mm anti-aircraft guns. 1 deck below the flight deck. This is where we first came in to the main body of the ship.

These were 20mm gun mounts outboard of the exhaust stacks

These are the 5" guns on the starboard aft side of the ship. It has collapesed and the flight deck now sits vertically. You can see the wood decking that was on the flight deck.

This is the quad anti aircraft gun mounted in front of the exhaust stacks.

This is the 3rd mount from aft going forward for the quad anti-aircraft guns. It is 1 deck up from the lower two.

Torpedo damage around frame 72 on the port side

CoastieJohn · **Joined:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:37 pm **Posts:** 1380

Shay wrote:

CoastieJohn wrote:

For grits-n-giggles, has anyone located any archival video footage of the Lex showing some of the located airframes? That would be something to see 1942 footage and then see a current color pic of the same airframe.

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675054241_USS-Lexington_aircraft-carrier_naval-guns_aircraft-stand-stationary-on-the-flight-deck

Im sure some might turn up. I thought I read somewhere that a TBD T-8 had been sighted, this vid shows a TBD 6-T-8. Not sure if its the same aircraft in the earlier paint scheme or not. Like today, aircraft markings can change from one day to the next. Im sure Paul's team has images of BuNos and the research efforts are most likely on their way as we speak as I'd bet a shiny nickle the certain unpublished images and info have already been shared with the NMNA in Pensacola.

I located a vid last night showing what looked like a side number "8"-T-7 taking off. Again....not sure about schemes and numbers either. Smarter guys will have to address that aspect.

marine air · **Posted:** Sat Mar 10, 2018 6:44 pm

My guess is that the large ship-shaped shadow is where the ship made the initial strike against the bottom and then it bounced/slipped into its current amount and location of pieces. Might explain why the debris is fairly close together. Meanwhile some of those divits are things like equipment , that slid off the deck, and pieces blown off the ship from the explosions.

DH82EH · **Posted:** Sat Mar 10, 2018 7:03 pm

Thanks for posting all the pictures Mark.

It's appreciated.

Andy

John Dupre · **Posted:** Sat Mar 10, 2018 7:34 pm

So I think this a place for my only Lexington story. My father in law made petty officer (electrical) on her before the war. He told me that thier were spaces around the exhaust stacks that were unused but could be accessed. One of these spaces was known as the "Poker Room" where there was almost always a game going on.

dakoblue · **Joined:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:13 pm **Posts:** 24

CoastieJohn wrote:

Shay wrote:

CoastieJohn wrote:

For grits-n-giggles, has anyone located any archival video footage of the Lex showing some of the located airframes? That would be something to see 1942 footage and then see a current color pic of the same airframe.

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675054241_USS-Lexington_aircraft-carrier_naval-guns_aircraft-stand-stationary-on-the-flight-deck

Im sure some might turn up. I thought I read somewhere that a TBD T-8 had been sighted, this vid shows a TBD 6-T-8. Not sure if its the same aircraft in the earlier paint scheme or not. Like today, aircraft markings can change from one day to the next. Im sure Paul's team has images of BuNos and the research efforts are most likely on their way as we speak as I'd bet a shiny nickle the certain unpublished images and info have already been shared with the NMNA in Pensacola.

I located a vid last night showing what looked like a side number "8"-T-7 taking off. Again....not sure about schemes and numbers either. Smarter guys will have to address that aspect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6trNkAm-ByE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJJuDkzM6uc
http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675 ... iring-guns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GPKwdWVrJ4

old iron · **Posted:** Sun Mar 11, 2018 2:49 am

I have only seen pictures of 3-4 Devastators and the one F4F. Are we to assume that the other Devastators and three Duntless aircraft are in much poorer condition (or more substantially wrecked?). Or perhaps identified at a greater distance.

dakoblue · **Joined:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:13 pm **Posts:** 24

CoastieJohn · **Joined:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:37 pm **Posts:** 1380

dakoblue wrote:

I located a vid last night showing what looked like a side number "8"-T-7 taking off. Again....not sure about schemes and numbers either. Smarter guys will have to address that aspect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6trNkAm-ByE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJJuDkzM6uc
http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675 ... iring-guns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GPKwdWVrJ4[/quote]

The first Youtube is the one that has the "8"-T-7 at second :11 - :12.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7557

The Bow of Lex

Port forward part of the flight deck. It is nearly vertical

The teak deck still appears to be in good condition

The starboard side quad 20mm anti-aircraft guns mounted on the bow

More aircraft photos coming ...

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Sun Mar 11, 2018 8:44 pm

CoastieJohn wrote:

The first Youtube is the one that has the "8"-T-7 at second :11 - :12.

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USS Lexington (CV-2) wreck found .. 4 March 2018 [revised]

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