Ronald Wattley

USS Lexington (CV-16) is an Essex-class aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, commissioned in February 1943. Nicknamed "The Blue Ghost," she earned her legend during World War II, participating in major Pacific battles such as the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the attacks on the Japanese home islands. Lexington’s air groups contributed significantly to the destruction of enemy ships and aircraft, earning 11 battle stars for her wartime service. After World War II, she served as an attack carrier and later as a training carrier until her decommissioning in 1991; today, USS Lexington is preserved as a museum ship in Corpus Christi, Texas.