Aircraft Carrier USS Lexington (CV-16) - Lexington, MA
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 26.955 W 071° 13.748
19T E 316688 N 4702065
A monument honoring the fifth U.S. naval ship named Lexington, aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-16), is located behind the visitors center east of Lexington Battle Green in Lexington. MA.
Waymark Code: WMT4JK
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 09/24/2016
Views: 4
Near the historic Lexington Battle Green the Lexington Lions Club and the U.S.S. Lexington CV-16 Association has installed a series of monuments honoring the five United States naval ships that were named Lexington. On the left of the row of monuments is a monument consisting of a bronze plaque affixed to a granite base. The plaque for the fifth Lexington, aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-16) "Blue Ghost", is inscribed:
5TH LEXINGTON (CV-16)
“BLUE GHOST”
BUILT IN QUINCY MASS. AND COMMISSIONED
IN BOSTON 17 FEB. 1943. PARTICIPATED IN 35
ENGAGEMENTS IN FORWARD PACIFIC DURING
WW II. PILOTS FROM AIR GROUPS 16, 19, 20,
9, AND 94 DOWNED 387 PLANES, DESTROYED
645 PLANES ON THE GROUND, DROPPED 2,735
BOMBS ON JAPANESE BASES, SANK OR
DAMAGED 588,000 TONS OF WARSHIPS AND
497,000 TONS OF MERCHANT SHIPPING, SHIP’S
GUNNERS SHOT DOWN 15 ATTACKING PLANES.
LEXINGTON WAS TORPEDOED OFF MARSHALLS
4 DEC. 1943, AND LATER HIT BY KAMIKAZE OFF
LUZON 5 NOV. 1944. AWARDED 11 BATTLE STARS
AND THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION.
IN 1955, SHE WAS REMODELED WITH AN
ANGULAR FLIGHT DECK. SINCE 1963 SHE HAS
SERVED AS THE NAVY’S TRAINING CARRIER.
MORE PLANES HAVE LANDED ON U.S.S.
LEXINGTON (CV-16) THAN ON ANY SHIP IN HISTORY.