CV-2 was named to commemorate the events of 19 April 1775: Minutemen fought a detachment of British troops at Lexington, Mass., opening the Revolutionary War with the "shot heard round the world."

"The First Blow for Liberty." Battle of Lexington. Copy of print by Alexander Hay Ritchie after a drawing by Felix Octavius Carr Darley. Published in 1868. National Archives image 200(S)-JH-3.

Rear Admiral David W. Taylor, USN (left), Chief of the Bureau of Construction and Repair, and Rear Admiral John K. Robison, USN (right), Chief of the Bureau of Engineering, hold a model of the battle cruisers (CC-1 class) then under construction, 8 March 1922. In the foreground is a model of an aircraft carrier design converted from the battle cruiser hull. This photo illustrates the genesis of the Lexington-class aircraft carrier design. Standing in the background are (from left to right): Rear Admiral William A. Moffett, USN, Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics; Congressman Frederick C. Hicks, of New York; Congressman Clark Burdick, of Rhode Island; and Congressman Philip D. Swing, of California. Photographed at the Navy Department by Harris & Ewing.

Photograph from Department of the Navy collections in the U.S. National Archives (# 80-CF-395b).

Lexington on the building ways at the Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, shortly before her launching, circa late September or early October 1925. Taken by a photographer from Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey.

Photograph from Department of the Navy collections in the U.S. National Archives (# 80-CF-21126-7).

Lexington (CV-2) fitting out at the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts.

Lexington (CV-2) in the final states of fitting out, at the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, in November 1927. (Merchant ship partially visible at right is the S.S. West Grama, which served as USS West Grama (ID # 3794) in 1919.)

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph (# NH 51323).

"U.S.S. Lexington, Giant Navy Plane Carrier.
About to enter Dry Dock, So. Boston, Jan. 10th, 1928"

A picture that Dave's father, Raymond Garner, purchased from an entrepreneurial photographer who was selling this photo to young seamen as they reported for duty aboard the Lex on the date shown in the photo.

Because of the odd size of the photo (24" X 7.5"), Dave had to scan two images and put them together.

Dave notes three things that stand out in this photo to make it unique:

• The 1920s cars on the left
• The difference in the size of the Lex and the freighters on the right
• The shape of the bow due to these early "Plane Carriers" being constructed on cruiser hulls

USS Lexington (CV-2) in South Boston drydock, January 1928.

Location and date unknown, pre-war image (poor).

Passing through Culebra Cut, Panama Canal, (date unknown but, as deduced from the forward end of her flight deck, taken before her 1936 refit).

USS Lexington (CV-2) off Panama City, Panama, 25 March 1928, during her shakedown period.

Collection of Franklin Moran, 1967.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. (# NH 64500).

RADM Joseph M. Reeves inspecting crew of USS Lexington (CV-2).

RADM Albert W. Marshall reading his orders.

CAPT Frank D. Berrien reading his orders.

Left to right: RADM Albert W. Marshall, outgoing commanding officer; CAPT Frank D. Berrien, incoming commanding officer; CDR Newton H. White, executive officer.

RADM Albert W. Marshall, outgoing Commanding Officer, and CAPT Frank D. Berrien, incoming Commanding Officer of USS Lexington (CV-2).

Left to right: CDR Newton H. White, Executive Officer, USS Lexington; CDR Eugene E. Wilson, staff of Commander, Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet; RADM Joseph M. Reeves, Commander, Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet; RADM Albert W. Marshall, Commander, Aircraft Squadrons, Scouting Fleet; and CAPT Frank D. Berrien, Commanding Officer, USS Lexington.

Curtiss F6C fighters (lower right) and Martin T3M torpedo planes on the carrier's flight deck, as she arrives off San Diego, California, on her maiden cruise, 4 April 1928. Note lowered elevator.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. (# NH 51380).

Launching Martin T4M-1 torpedo planes, circa 1929.

Naval Historical Center photograph # NH 82117 (Collection of LCDR Abraham DeSomer, donated by Myles DeSomer, 1975).

Perhaps during Fleet Problem IX, off Panama, January 1929.

An early photo of USS Lexington (CV-2), dated 22 February 1929, in full dress for George Washington's Birthday. Probably an official USN photo.

USS Lexington (CV-2) steams through an aircraft-deployed smoke screen, 26 February 1929, shortly after that year's "Fleet Problem" exercises.

Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. (# NH 75714).

USS Lexington (CV-2), top; USS Saratoga (CV-3), with her distinctive funnel stripe; and USS Langley (CV-1), accross the pier from Saratoga. Bremerton, Washington, 11 November 1929.

Front view of the island of USS Lexington (CV-2), 1929–1933.

From the collection of RADM Theodore R. Frederick.

From 17 December 1929 to 16 January 1930 USS Lexington supplied electrical power to Tacoma, Washington, when this city suffered a power shortage. The electricity from the carrier totaled more than 4.25 million kilowatt-hours.

Further reading at the Researcher @ Large website.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) flies over ships of the U.S. Fleet, circa 1930. Photographed from on board the airship, with two of her engine cars in the foreground. Ships below are USS Patoka (AO-9), closest to the camera, and the aircraft carriers Lexington (CV-2) and Saratoga (CV-3).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-462136).

Ship's crew and personnel of her aircraft squadrons posed on the flight deck, circa the 1930s. View looks forward from atop her smokestack.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. (# NH 51384).

USS Lexington (CV-2) sailing past Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, circa early 1930s.

Four photos of USS Lexington (CV-2) taken before her 1935 refit at Puget Sound Navy Yard, as indicated by the absence of the four sponsons (two forward, two aft) installed to augment her anti-aircraft armament.

Photo NS020266 is an aerial view of the Puget Sound Navy Yard.

USS Lexington (CV-2) at anchor, location and date unknown (prior to her 1936–37 refit, as shown by the shape of the forward part of the flight deck). Note one of her fighters has just been launched.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) (center distance) moored to USS Patoka (AO-9) off Panama during Fleet Problem XII, circa February 1931. USS Lexington (CV-2), at right, and a battleship are also present.

Donation of Franklin Moran, 1967.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph (# NH 65300).

USS Lexington (CV-2) at anchor at Lahaina Roads, Maui, February 16, 1932.

USS Lexington (CV-2) underway, March 15, 1932. Note how closely the T4M torpedo-bombers and the smaller fighter and observation aircraft are packed together.

USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Saratoga (CV-3) in front of Diamond Head. Regardless of what is printed on the picture, it was taken on February 2, 1933 while both sister carriers were awaiting the official beginning of Fleet Problem XIV (February 6.)

[On July 1, 1932 Sara was berthed at Pier 6, Bremerton, WA.]

Port bow view of USS Lexington (CV-2) underway, 31 May 1934, during a Presidential Review by President Roosevelt off New York City.

US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1996.488.011.015.

USS Lexington (CV-2), left, and USS Saratoga (CV-3) open to the public for viewing at New York City, June 1934.

USS Lexington (CV-2) moored to West Fiftieth Street Dock, Hudson River, NY. A BM dive/torpedo bomber assigned to Torpedo Squadron One can be seen parked aft on the flight deck, which suggests a rough time frame of 1932–36. Moreover, USS Saratoga (CV-3) can be seen across the pier. Both Sara and Lex visited New York and were moored to Pier 90 (West Fiftieth Street Dock), June 1-19, 1934, after a Presidential Review. This photo was probably taken at that time.

Photo by Edwin Levick. Edwin Levick Collection, Mariner's Museum.

Four photos of USS Lexington taken by Radioman 3C George W. Allen, circa 1935.

Top: VS-3B Squadron insignia (Indian head in circle) is clearly visible on the biplane.

Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington. Aerial photograph taken in the mid-1930s. Alongside the pier in center are the aircraft tender (ex-collier) Jason (AV-2), laid up in 1932 and sold in 1936, and the crane ship Kearsarge. Also present are the aircraft carriers Lexington (CV-2) and Saratoga (CV-3), the latter with her distinctive funnel stripe.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph (# NH 45236).

USS Lexington underway circa 1936, showing her very wide funnel with its black top edge, under which the MG platform was situated. The 8in/55 twin mounts, and also the single 5in(127mm)/25s grouped in threes, are clearly visible.

USS Lexington (CV-2) off Long Beach, California, 17 September 1936, with crewmembers spelling out "NAVY" on her flight deck.

Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., 1969.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. (# NH 67420).

USS Lexington (CV-2) entering Puget Sound Navy Yard, date unknown—might have been taken in late 1936, as the machine gun sponsons (fore and aft) and platform (around funnel) are already in place, but forward flight deck has not yet been widened.

USS Lexington (CV-2) at anchor, location unknown, after her 1936–37 refit, which widened her forward flight deck.

USS Lexington (CV-2) underway sometime in the late 1930s, location unknown. Note the 0.5-in MG gallery below the funnel cap and the widened forward flight deck.

In July 1937 battleship USS Colorado (BB-45); aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2); seaplane tender USS Swan (AVP-7): destroyers USS Lamson (DD-367), USS Cushing (DD-376), and USS Drayton (DD-366); and the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Itasca searched in vain to locate Amelia Earhart (photo) after her disappearance in the middle Pacific (an area the size of Texas) during her around-the world flight. There has been much speculation about her disappearance over these past decades with a long list of theories, never substantiated, recorded over time on exactly what happened to Amelia and her navigator, Fred Noonan.

USS Lexington (CV-2) underway with aircraft spotted on deck, circa 1938.

US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1996.488.011.020.

Aerial port bow view, with aircraft on deck, off Honolulu, HI, during Fleet Problem XIX, 8 April 1938.

National Archives photo (# 80-G-410059).

USS Lexington (CV-2) in the Gaillard Cut, Panama Canal. There are monoplane TBD-1 Devastator torpedo-bombers parked aft on the flight deck; therefore, the photo was possibly taken in 1939, when Lexington was returning to the Pacific after Fleet Problem XX.

"Service Afloat," Navy recruiting poster issued in November 1939. It features photographs of USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Dunlap (DD-384), as well as a pilothouse scene on a battleship and views of sailors splicing a hawser, carrying a hammock and sea bag, assisting a ship's navigator and standing engine room throttle watch.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph (# NH 77210), courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation.

USS Lexington (CV-2), left distance, with part of the Pacific Fleet in 1940 at Lahaina, Maui.

It is possible that the battleship on the left is USS California (BB-44). The center battleship appears to be a Nevada class, either USS Nevada (BB-36) or USS Oklahoma (BB-37). The rightmost battleship is believed to be a Pennsylvania class, USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) rather than USS Arizona (BB-39). (See NS014462u for details.)

USS Lexington (CV-2) leaving San Diego, California, 14 October 1941. Planes parked on her flight deck include F2A-1 fighters (parked forward), SBD scout-bombers (amidships) and TBD-1 torpedo planes (aft). Note the false bow wave (Measure 5 camouflage) painted on her hull, forward, and badly chalked condition of the hull's camouflage paint (Measure 1).

In this picture Lexington still retains her twin 8" mounts. Four 1.1" mounts have been installed, one on each quadrant, and a fifth mount between the bridge and the funnel. Atop each 8" mount is a gun tub containing two .50-cal mounts.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (# 80-G-416362).

(Thanks to Robert Hurst, who provided additional information).

Vertical aerial photograph of Ford Island, taken 10 November 1941, with five battleships tied up along "Battleship Row" at the top of the image. USS Lexington (CV-2), a seaplane tender and a light cruiser are moored on the island's other (northwestern) side. Approximately 21 PBY patrol planes are parked at the Naval Air Station's seaplane base, in the upper right. The bright diagonal line, at the lower left end of Ford Island, points to the north.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph (NHC # 80-G-279385), now in the collections of the National Archives.

Model of USS Lexington (CV-2).

Model on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Florida. Photos taken on 13 June 2008.