USS Lexington (CV-2) wreck found .. 4 March 2018 [revised]

[Mark Allen M]

These two photos are about as clear as you can find showing some of those TBD's, SBD's & F4F's.

[DavenPa]

I've heard mention that Noel Gayler may have been the name on the Wildcat. It jives with the visible letters and his credited kills and bombing mission at the time?

[Courier Sportster]

i'm sure i'm not alone in stating this is stirring in me a sense of childlike wonderment. totally flipping out over this. i want to go build models. primal regression.

[dakoblue]

I see a "G" (maybe LT.JG), ending with a "H" or maybe an "R"

Shay
______________
SEMPER FORTIS

sign of succesful bombing mission

[JFS61]

I see a "G" (maybe LT.JG), ending with a "H" or maybe an "R"

Shay
______________
SEMPER FORTIS

I myself see a "G", an "A", and an "R" (GAyleR)- It does appear that we may have found our pilot.

Last edited by JFS61 on Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Taigh Ramey]

I like the red oxide or salmon colored primer visible surrounding the worn paint on the sides of the fuselage. I wonder what caused the wear as it looks like it was present before the kill markings and bomb strike were applied. Was this paint worn down by repeated washing of exhaust streaks? The aft fuselage doesn't seem to have the same issue.

[Mark Allen M]

Lt. Noel Gayler's airplane


The pilots of the U.S. Navy Fighting Squadron 3 (VF-3) in front of a Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighter, 5 March 1942. Standing (l-r): Newton H. Mason, Howard F. Clark, Edward R. Sellstrom, Willard E. Eder, Howard L. Johnson, John H. Lackey, Leon W. Haynes, Onia B. Stanley, Jr., Dale W. Peterson, Marion W. Dufilh, Rolla S. Lemmon. Sitting (l-r): Robert J. Morgan, Albert O. Vorse, Jr., Donald A. Lovelace, John S. "Jimmy" Thach, Noel A.M. Gayler, Edward H. "Butch" O'Hare, Richard M. Rowell.

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Tue Mar 06, 2018 6:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[mike furline]

I see a "G" (maybe LT.JG), ending with a "H" or maybe an "R"

Shay
______________
SEMPER FORTIS

I myself see a "G", an "A", and an "R" (GAyleR)- It does appear that we may have found our pilot.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... on_3_(VF-3)_on_5_March_1942.jpg (copy and paste)
http://www.vicsocotra.com/wordpress/2011/07/1373/

[DavenPa]

https://m.soundcloud.com/naval-institute/gayler

[old iron]

Noel Gayler became an admiral, five kills atogether, died in 2011.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noel_Gayler

[Mark Allen M]

The hits just keep coming ...






An undetonated torpedo near the wreckage site. Of the 5 torpedoes USS Phelps launched to scuttle the USS Lexington, Believed this was likely one of the two that were duds.

[Mark Allen M]

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Noha307]

Somebody tell me this isn't the same aircraft! The break in the tail fits!

(Source: Navy.mil)

(Source: Flickr)

[Mark Allen M]

As for the F4F? Here's a quote "It's Lieut. Noel A. M. Gayler's F4F-3 without any doubt! VF-2 XO during the Coral Sea Battle.

1. The visible letters of pilot's name under the canopy: GA****R.

2. Four IJN flags. Gayler shoot down THREE Mitsubishi G4M "Betties" (including 2 in group) during the abortive raid on Rabaul February 2, 1942. Then he shoot down ONE Nakajima E8N floatplane during the Lae-Salamoua raid March 8, 1942. So he had exactly FOUR victories before Coral Sea battle.

3. "Bomb" mark. During the Lae-Salamoua raid Gayler's division of F4F's attacked the Japanese AA positions with 30-lb bombs.

4. Lieut. Noel A. M. Gayler was one of the 12 VF-3 pilots (with 19 F4F-3 planes with Felix cats) transfered to VF-2 just before the battle of Coral Sea.

5. Lieut. Noel A. M. Gayler was one of the 9 VF-2 pilots on board "Lady Lex" when the ship was lost, so his plane have to be there too.

F4F wing?

[Zac Yates]

The excitement this news has generated is unlike any warbird story I can remember from the last few years, it's fantastic!