LEXINGTON — Maritime bells sounded on the town common yesterday as residents and visitors honored veterans of the five Navy vessels named USS Lexington.
Several speakers made note of the impressive ships and their history, and members of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps laid wreaths at each of the five monuments. The Lexington Minute Men fired volleys in salute, while the Lexington High School band performed the national anthem and a lone trumpeter played Taps.
Standing beside a row of plaques, Selectman Peter Kelley said Lexington is a name synonymous with freedom and democracy.
“On such a glorious day for America,” he said, “this is a tribute to the name Lexington, which is not just a ship, but a name that means so much more all over the world.”
Ed McGlew, 90, a Navy veteran from Springfield, Vt., thanked the crowd for remembering his comrades.
“CV-2 and CV-16 guys, we’re dwindling,” said McGlew, who was an aerial photographer for the USS Lexington CV-2 (1927-1942) and CV-16 (1943-1962). “We appreciate you coming out very much. It’s a special thing for us.”
He also showed the crowd a diary from his Navy days, noting that the most intense entries — about battles at sea — were stained with seawater. He declined to read the entries, saying that he will read them at the 25th annual event next year.
State Sen. Ken Donnelly, D-Arlington, noted the heroism of the servicemen aboard all the ships named Lexington since the first one launched in 1776.
“Even great ships don’t steer themselves. As recognized by the 13 battle stars … these ships were manned by America’s finest,” Donnelly said. “Today, we acknowledge the many men and women who served on the USS Lexington since our revolution. These five ships have carried not only the names of our great town but the resilience, brilliance and pride of Lexington as well.”
Guest speaker Lt. Albert Sharlow, the operations officer for the USS Constitution, the longest-serving American warship, encouraged the crowd to give back to their country.
“Find a way to serve, no matter how big or small an undertaking,” Sharlow said. “We will seek to make a better tomorrow if we can start today.”
SHIPS TO BEAR THE NAME 'USS LEXINGTON'
THE SECOND LEXINGTON
THE THIRD LEXINGTON
THE FOURTH LEXINGTON
THE FIFTH LEXINGTON
THE FIRST LEXINGTON
An 18-gun sloop-of-war commissioned on June 11, 1826. After serving in various capacities, the ship joined Commodore Matthew Perry’s expedition to Japan in 1852. It was decommissioned in 1855.
This steamship was purchased in 1861 and converted into a gunboat for the Union army during the Civil War. It was decommissioned in 1865.
This aircraft carrier (CV-2), also known as “Lady Lex,” was the namesake ship of her class. She was built in Quincy and commissioned on Dec. 14, 1927. The 36,000-ton vessel was the first ship to average more than 30 knots on an ocean voyage. Pilots from “Lady Lex” sank the first Japanese carrier of World War II during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. The carrier was severely crippled by Japanese airstrike in the same battle. A gas explosion later mortally wounded the vessel, which was abandoned and then scuttled by a Navy destroyer to prevent its capture.
This Essex-class aircraft carrier (CV-16), also known as “The Blue Ghost,” was built in Quincy and commissioned on Feb. 17, 1943. The vessel participated in 35 engagements during World War II. When it was decommissioned in 1991, the Lexington was the oldest Navy carrier in service. The ship is now a naval aviation museum in Corpus Christi, Texas.
