Jump aboard the USS LEXINGTON Museum on the Bay and go back in time to discover history in real life. Step onto this WWII Aircraft Carrier and become part of the story. Here are 10 fascinating facts about the Blue Ghost…
Remember how your mom told you that you were almost named Benji? USS Lexington wasn't always going be to the ship's name. Her first name was USS Cabot but then a different ship was named USS Cabot and the rest is history.
But trust us....you're on the right ship.
THIS USS LEXINGTON, CV-16, is technically the second USS LEXINGTON. The first USS LEXINGTON, CV-2, was sunk in the Coral Sea, but was then replaced by the USS Cabot...which was then named USS LEXINGTON.
Fun Fact: President (before he was President) Gerald Ford served on USS Cabot. He later signed the USS Cabot-replica aboard the LEX.
The ship was never camouflaged. Most Naval vessels were painted in a dazzle camouflage, a complex pattern of geometric shapes in contrasting colors, but USS LEXINGTON was commissioned for battle before it could be painted, so it appears more blue. See how it's different in this infamous "Murderers' Row" picture?
Photo via navyhistory.org
The name Blue Ghost comes from a couple of places. It was reported, no less than four times, that USS LEXINGTON had been sunk. Japanese propaganda radio broadcasts, typically called Tokyo Rose, nicknamed her the Blue Ghost because she just kept coming back...and the paint helped too.
Photo via USS Lexington Museum on the Bay Facebook
Speaking of ghosts, this ship is haunted...well, maybe. Throughout the years, many guests have reported encounters with "Charlie." Apparently, Charlie's Naval uniform and detailed ship tours make him one of the best tour guides on the ship! Except, there is no tour guide in uniform named Charlie...
Running a tight ship might be in every woman’s DNA! In 1980, USS LEXINGTON became the first aircraft carrier in US Naval history to have women stationed aboard as crew members.
In 1992, USS LEXINGTON became a permanent Texas resident, y'all! After the ship was decommissioned, a task force known as Landing Force 16 worked to move the ship to Corpus Christi. We're still enjoying this, very large, piece of history over 20 years later.
Photo via USS Lexington Museum on the Bay Facebook
Beat the Blast at the World's First Escape Room Aboard the USS Lexington! This is the most unique escape room experience in Corpus Christi! This high-tech and high-intensity challenge is set aboard the LEX. It’s a real WWII aircraft carrier and based on actual historical events. This challenge is so real and so intense that you’ll definitely want to complete the mission and Beat the Blast on the Lockdown on the Lex.
Even before stepping aboard the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay, you'll find pieces of history. Look up to see the Japanese flag, signifying the spot where a Kamikaze plane hit the deck during an attack; part of the first Kamikaze attacks during WWII. So. Much. History.
Does this look familiar? Well it should! Parts of the movie Pearl Harbor were filmed on the USS Lexington Museum in 2001. The talented Blue Ghost played two roles in the movie - a Japanese ship and USS Hornet.
Climbing the ladders and stepping through the hatch doors is like stepping right into a history book. At the USS Lexington Museum, history comes to life with real pictures and real stories of real people that served our great country.
See all of the new (and not-so-new) ways that the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay is bringing history to the present. Test your skills at the Virtual Battle Stations, get up-close to vintage aircrafts, see a Captain in action and walk the narrow passageways of the WWII Aircraft Carrier! All aboard!
