Bill Noonan: From Navy Journalist to Lifelong Lexington Volunteer

For more than 30 years, Bill Noonan has been a constant presence aboard the USS Lexington Museum, helping bring the stories of the historic aircraft carrier to life for thousands of visitors. His connection to the ship began even before it opened as a museum. A retired Navy journalist with 21 years of service, Bill was drawn to the project as a natural continuation of his military career.

“I had given tours of ships during my time in the Navy,” he says. “When I heard the Lexington was becoming a museum, I knew I could help.”

At the time, Bill was the editor of the Portland News and attended some of the first organizational meetings looking for volunteers. His experience in military public information, combined with his love for storytelling, made him a natural fit for the ship’s early efforts to engage the public. Over time, he transitioned from weekend volunteer to one of the Lexington’s most enduring presences as someone that guests, staff, and fellow volunteers came to recognize as part of the ship’s very fabric.

Since then, he’s become a fixture on the ship, welcoming guests, sharing the Lexington’s extensive World War II history, and offering insight into what life was like aboard a floating city. As a former Navy journalist, he brings a unique depth to the tours he leads, often helping guests picture the day-to-day rhythm of life at sea.

“People are always surprised when I tell them we had everything — TV and radio stations, a newspaper, you name it,” he says. “It was a city at sea.”

But Bill’s contributions go beyond just historical facts. Through thoughtful conversation and personal stories, he helps visitors connect emotionally to the people who lived and served aboard the ship. For him, it’s about fostering understanding and curiosity and ensuring those who step aboard feel the full weight of the ship’s legacy.

While the ship’s history draws many visitors, it’s the volunteers like Bill who make the experience personal. His favorite moments come from those one-on-one connections, especially when he’s able to help someone understand not just the ship’s role in history, but the human side of naval life.

“I love being on the ship and meeting people from all over,” he says. “It’s about more than just dates and facts. It’s about what it was like to live and work on board.”

Outside of the Lexington, Bill has worn many hats throughout his career. He served with the Corpus Christi Police Department for over a decade, worked as a game day usher for the Hooks, and held editorial roles in local journalism. But the ship has remained his home base for service; it was a constant thread connecting his love of history, community, and storytelling.

Bill sees tourism as essential to preserving and sharing that history. From his perspective, volunteers and cultural attractions help make Corpus Christi a meaningful destination for visitors and a richer place for residents.

“Tourism helps our economy in a big way,” he says. “It brings people here, gives them something to remember, and shows them what makes the Coastal Bend special.”

For Bill, that “special something” is as much about the people as the places. Originally from Massachusetts, he’s come to value the genuine warmth and welcoming spirit of the Coastal Bend community. He describes Corpus Christi as a place where newcomers are embraced, where the pace allows you to slow down, and where both residents and visitors can reconnect with what matters.

It’s that same sense of belonging and connection that he’s spent decades helping others experience through his work on the Lexington. His dedication to the Lexington is more than service; it’s a legacy. Through his decades of volunteer work, Bill Noonan has helped transform a historic ship into a living, breathing part of the community, one story at a time.