We may have all seen huge ships and grand vessels but have you ever put some thought into these marvels themselves? The history, the people involved, and what it takes to operate such colossal structures?
In Corpus Christi, Texas, a ship sits quietly waiting for the chance at glory, despite having been decommissioned in 1991, it is a sight to see. This warship, called USS Lexington was commissioned in 1943 and it produces a whopping speed of over 30 knots and can travel over 4,000 miles at full speed. With a flight deck measuring about 910 feet in length, there’s room for activities. This warship also produces about 180,000 gallons of freshwater daily, and a daily crew food consumption of over 600 pounds of meat, over 150 gallons of milk, and almost 100 dozen eggs.
It was reported by the Japanese that the Lexington sank several times and the “Tokyo Rose,” nicknamed the ship as the “Blue Ghost,” because each time the ship sank, or so they believed, it returned. Tokyo Rose was a name given to female radio broadcasters of Japanese propaganda. According to records, one female stood out the most and her name was Iva Toguri D’Aquino, you can read more about her at https://www.history.com/news/how-tokyo-rose-became-wwiis-most-notorious-propagandist, sadly, she passed away at the age of 90 years of age in 2006.
Aside from Tokyo Rose, the walk-through on the ship was fantastic, there’s a place to eat inside and you can buy drinks, buy merch and take photos throughout the tour. But pay close attention to the doorways and hallways, but more importantly, the doorways. There are a ton of turns and steps, levels, pipes and wiring, and the list goes on. One could spend hours on just one section, just in amazement. For more information, you can view their website at https://usslexington.com/
USS Lexington, Battle Ship, Corpus Christi Texas
