Stay the rising sun : the true story of USS Lexington, her valiant crew, and changing the course of World War II

Overview: In May 1942, the United States' first naval victory against the Japanese in the Coral Sea was marred by the loss of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington. Another carrier was nearly ready for launch when the news arrived, so the navy changed her name to Lexington, confusing the Japanese. A "well-written, superbly researched" account of a WWII aircraft carrier's demise in the Pacific—and the legacy left by the "Lady Lex" (CPL Vincent L. Anderson, USMC, Marine Detachment, USS Lexington, survivor of the Battle of the Coral Sea). In May 1942, the United States' first naval victory against the Japanese in the Coral Sea was marred by the loss of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington . Another carrier was nearly ready for launch when the news arrived, so the navy changed her name to Lexington, confusing the Japanese. The men of the original "Lady Lex" loved their ship and fought hard to protect her. They were also seeking revenge for the losses sustained at Pearl Harbor. Crippling attacks by the Japanese left her on fire and dead in the water. But a remarkable ninety percent of the crew made it off the burning decks before Lexington had to be abandoned. In all the annals of the Second World War, there is hardly a battle story more compelling. The ship's legacy did not end with her demise, however. Although the battle was deemed a tactical success for the Japanese, it turned out to be a strategic loss: For the first time in the war, a Japanese invasion force was forced to retreat. The lessons learned by losing the Lexington at Coral Sea impacted tactics, air wing operations, damage control, and ship construction. Altogether, they forged a critical, positive turning point in the war. The ship that ushered in a new era in naval warfare might be gone, but fate decreed that her important legacy would live on. 2016 Military Writers Society of America Bronze Medal Winner! Her crew called her the "Lady Lex" - see how her fierce battle turned the tide in the Allies' favor. In May 1942, the United States' first naval victory against the Japanese in the Coral Sea was marred by the loss of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington. Another carrier was nearly ready for launch when the news arrived, so the navy changed her name to Lexington, confusing the Japanese. The men of the original "Lady Lex" loved their ship and fought hard to protect her. They were also seeking revenge for the losses sustained at Pearl Harbor. Crippling attacks by the Japanese left her on fire and dead in the water. A remarkable 90 percent of the crew made it off the burning decks before Lexington had to be abandoned. In all the annals of the Second World War, there is hardly a battle story more compelling. Lexington's legacy did not end with her demise, however. Although the battle was deemed a tactical success for the Japanese, it turned out to be a strategic loss: For the first time in the war, a Japanese invasion force was forced to retreat. The lessons learned by losing the Lexington at Coral Sea impacted tactics, air wing operations, damage control, and ship construction. Altogether, they forged a critical, positive turning point in the war. The ship that ushered in and gave birth to a new era in naval warfare might be gone, but fate decreed that her important legacy would live on. 2016 Military Writers Society of AmericaBronze Medal Winner! Her crew called her the "Lady Lex" - see how her fierce battle turned the tide in the Allies' favor. In May 1942, the United States' first naval victory against the Japanese in the Coral Sea was marred by the loss of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington . Another carrier was nearly ready for launch when the news arrived, so the navy changed her name to Lexington , confusing the Japanese. The men of the original "Lady Lex" loved their ship and fought hard to protect her. They were also seeking revenge for the losses sustained at Pearl Harbor. Crippling attacks by the Japanese left her on fire and dead in the water. A remarkable 90 percent of the crew made it off the burning decks before Lexington had to be abandoned. In all the annals of the Second World War, there is hardly a battle story more compelling. Lexington 's legacy did not end with her demise, however. Although the battle was deemed a tactical success for the Japanese, it turned out to be a strategic For the first time in the war, a Japanese invasion force was forced to retreat. The lessons learned by losing the Lexington at Coral Sea impacted tactics, air wing operations, damage control, and ship construction. Altogether, they forged a critical, positive turning point in the war. The ship that ushered in and gave birth to a new era in naval warfare might be gone, but fate decreed that her important legacy would live on. As one of the US Navy's first aircraft carriers, commissioned in 1928, everything USS Lexington did set a precedent. The rapidly advancing concepts of naval air warfare would be developed and tested from her flattop deck; naval aviation, in turn, would play a pivotal role in winning World War II, especially in the Pacific. All future carriers would be designed and built around the lessons learned from the class named after this venerable ship. Lexington, CV-2, was at sea when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941. She and her crew immediately became part of the Pacific War, her efforts culminating in the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first carrier-to-carrier battle in history. Stay the Rising Sun tells the history of the famed ship and the experiences of her men in this key battle, recounting the action in vivid, minute-by-minute detail--in many cases, in the words of the men who lived through it. Supplemented by historical backgroud and the perspectives of the other US elements and their Japanese adversaries during the battle, military historian Phil Keith's engrossing narrative truly brings this pivotal event to life. Although Lexinton was ultimately lost at Coral Sea, her contributions to the United States' strategic victory in the battle--and the lessons learned from her sinking--were invaluable and represented a critical turning point in the war. -- Back of book jacket