USS Lexington

[MarkBarbieri]

Here are some photos from our recent "tour-of-duty" on the USS Lexington. The whole family camped out on Goose Island the night before and then my older son and I spent the night on the ship.

The Big Tree
http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/124516460-M.jpg

Sitting in a tree
http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/124518311-M.jpg

The USS Lexington
http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/124558448-M.jpg

http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/124558659-M.jpg

Corpus Christi as seen from the deck at 5:00 AM
http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/124558696-L.jpg

Sitting in a jet engine (not running at the time)
http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/124558837-M.jpg

[theblondebee]

Those are great. We used to live 18 miles from Corpus and I never went to the Lex. My kids went on field trips.

[YEKCIM]

Mark, #4 is reminiscent of the movie, "Patton"...sort of.

~Ed

[MOmousefan]

I was in the Navy from 1969-1973 and was stationed at NAS Chase Field in Beeville, TX. Our squadron was an advanced jet training squadron VT-24. All of our pilots did their carrier qualifications on the "Lady Lex" out in the Gulf of Mexico. We would fly out to the carrier in helicopters and support our aircraft as they practiced landings and take-offs. We would leave the carrier with a catapult launch in a COD aircraft.
It is good to know that the old lady is still around and not scrapped. Thanks for the update. These pictures suffered from the Texas heat before developing.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a146/mtsanders/Navy/Vultures_row.jpg http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a146/mtsanders/Navy/A4_Hooked.jpg http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a146/mtsanders/Navy/JBD.jpg http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a146/mtsanders/Navy/Hook_Beeville.jpg




More photos here.
http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a146/mtsanders/Navy/

[handicap18]

WOW thats a HUGE drop off that close to the beach. That ship has to draw over 30 feet and to get that close to the shore, wow. You've got be talking an average minimum depth of 50-60 feet. You figure with a full moon low tide you still have to have close to 40' of water.

Nice pictures Mark. Looks like an impressive vessel. The USS JFK is coming to Boston one last time in a few months before it goes out of service. I'm hoping to get some pics from the water and maybe try to get on board of a tour.

[slmjam]

Mark,

Were you and your son part of the Live Aboard program on the Lex? My daughter and I did it with her scout troop about 4-5 years ago. I still remember the teeny tiny, stacked bunks we slept in, eating in the mess hall, and the ghost stories late at night. The bunks wouldn't have been nearly as bad if the girls would have stayed in them. They doubled & tripled up, or slept with the moms who came along, and they wouldn't go to the bathroom by themselves. Come to think of it, I thought twice about going by myself too... never knew what would be waiting around the corner! :scared1:

[theblondebee]

WOW thats a HUGE drop off that close to the beach. That ship has to draw over 30 feet and to get that close to the shore, wow. You've got be talking an average minimum depth of 50-60 feet. You figure with a full moon low tide you still have to have close to 40' of water.

Nice pictures Mark. Looks like an impressive vessel. The USS JFK is coming to Boston one last time in a few months before it goes out of service. I'm hoping to get some pics from the water and maybe try to get on board of a tour.

If I recall, they dug out the ground or whatever you call it underwater, when they brought the ship in. The water is not deep there at all.

[Krispy]

Just passed this thread onto my husband... He was stationed on the lexington and was part of the decommissioning crew... GREAT shots! Would love to see more if you have them online...

Kristina

[MarkBarbieri]

The rest of the shots from the Lex are here (http://barbieri.smugmug.com/gallery/2383077#124885923).