The USS Lexington (CV-2) was one of the most significant early losses suffered by the U.S. Navy during World War II. As an important part of the Pacific Fleet, the carrier helped launch aircraft that struck Japanese forces across the region during the early stages of the war.
During the Battle of the Coral Sea, Lexington was heavily damaged and ultimately deemed beyond repair. To prevent the ship from being captured, U.S. naval commanders made the decision to scuttle her, sending the carrier to the bottom of the ocean.
For more than 70 years, the exact location of her wreck remained unknown. It was only in modern times that explorers were able to locate and document the long-lost carrier resting on the seafloor.
USS Lexington (CV-2)
USS Lexington began life as a very different kind of warship. Originally planned as a battlecruiser in 1916, her fate changed after the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 halted construction of ships of that type. Rather than dismantle the incomplete hull, the U.S. Navy converted Lexington into one of its earliest operational aircraft carriers. She was commissioned on December 14, 1927, and soon became known affectionately as “Lady Lex,” a nickname that reflected the admiration of her crew. Because she entered service during a largely peaceful period, Lexington played a major role in refining carrier operations and naval aviation tactics, including taking part in simulated attacks on Pearl Harbor.
Lexington also proved useful far beyond her military duties. During a severe drought in 1929, the carrier helped provide electricity to Tacoma, Washington. In 1931, she participated in relief efforts following the 1931 earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua, transporting medical personnel and badly needed supplies to assist those affected by the disaster.
The USS Lexington‘s (CV-2) service during World War II
During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the USS Lexington was en route to Midway Island, transporting fighter aircraft. Swiftly recalled to base, her first mission of World War II initially involved an attack on Japanese targets in the Marshall Islands, aimed at diverting attention from the besieged Wake Island. However, the surrender of the US forces stationed there negated the need for such action.
In early 1942, Lexington was deployed to the Coral Sea, where she spent the majority of her remaining service. Positioned to counter Japanese advancements in the region, she, along with the USS Yorktown (CV-5), engaged enemy shipping near New Guinea.
Following a refit at Pearl Harbor, Lexington returned to the Coral Sea that May. Her timely return proved crucial, coinciding with the Japanese launch of Operation Mo just days later.
Battle of the Coral Sea
The commencement of Operation Mo signaled the onset of the Battle of the Coral Sea, where the USS Lexington, Yorktown, and their carrier aircraft defended the area against attacking Japanese vessels. Intercepting their plans to seize Port Moresby, this engagement was unique in that it marked the first sea battle where the combatant ships didn’t come within range of each other. Instead, they waged the battle using their aircraft.
On May 7, 1942, Lexington‘s aerial fleet sank the Japanese light aircraft carrier Shōhō. Deploying bombs and torpedoes, they initiated the attack by setting fire to the aircraft on the vessel’s flight deck, subsequently disabling her power and steering. With the continued assault, Shōhō began to flood. With the assistance of Yorktown‘s aircraft, the carrier ultimately sank at 11:31 AM, accompanied by the famous call from Lt. Cmdr. Robert E. Dixon, “Scratch one flat top!”
A turn for the worse
During the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 8, 1942, USS Lexington (CV-2) drew increased attention from nearby Japanese forces following its initial successes in the fighting. Rear Admiral Chūichi Hara subsequently directed successive air strikes against the American aircraft carrier. Lexington’s defenses initially held up well, shooting down several attacking aircraft before the Japanese could inflict serious damage.
By roughly 9:00 a.m., however, the advantage had begun to swing toward the Japanese. Several Nakajima B5N torpedo bombers got through Lexington’s defenses, striking the carrier twice on the port side and flooding compartments below decks. Not long afterward, 19 Aichi D3A dive bombers broke through and dropped three bombs. One exploded near the forward port ammunition storage area, triggering a heavy blast that shook the vessel and helped set in motion the sequence of events that eventually led to Lexington’s loss.
Wreck of the USS Lexington (CV-2)
In the ensuing hours, relentless attacks persisted against the USS Lexington. Impressively, she managed to refuel a considerable number of her aircraft. However, at 2:42 PM, an explosion severed all power to the ship’s front, intensifying the fires that raged aboard the carrier. Capt. Frederick Sherman issued the order for the crew to abandon ship at 5:07 PM, ensuring everyone who could be evacuated was safely removed before he followed suit at 6:30 PM.
The difficult decision was made to scuttle Lexington to prevent the Japanese from seizing the vessel. Tasked with this mission, the USS Phelps (DD-360) launched five torpedoes, all of which found their mark, leading to the aircraft carrier’s sinking, along with 35 of her aircraft.
The majority of the crew successfully escaped, with reports indicating that 2,735 were evacuated, while 216 tragically lost their lives. Despite the heavy toll, the resolute defensive stand made by the USS Yorktown and Lexington bore immense significance. This stance thwarted the Japanese carriers from reaching New Guinea and Australia, thus preventing their involvement in the Battle of Midway.
The wreck of the USS Lexington (CV-2) is discovered near Australia
Although the USS Lexington’s (CV‑2) scuttling coordinates were documented in 1942, the carrier’s final resting place was undiscovered for decades. That changed on March 4, 2018, when an exhaustive six-month search finally pinpointed her resting place.
The expedition was led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, whose team aboard the research vessel Petrel located the wreck approximately 800 kilometers off the coast of Queensland, Australia, resting nearly 3,000 meters beneath the ocean surface.
Using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the team verified the ship’s identity, streaming live footage back to Petrel. The ROV captured the carrier’s nameplate on the stern and revealed that Lexington had broken into several large sections lying close together. Scattered across the debris field were 11 aircraft—three Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers, seven TBD Devastator torpedo planes, and a single Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter—silent remnants of the battle that claimed the “Lady Lex” and sent her to her final underwater resting place.