Tokyo could not afford to lose its carriers the way America could.
Key point: America had better industrial capacity to build replacements and win the war. That was why lopsided trades of warships at the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway were so damaging for Tokyo s cause.
Responding to a November 27, 1941, war warning message from Admiral Harold R. “Betty” Stark, chief of naval operations, America’s prized handful of aircraft carriers were fortuitously absent from Pearl Harbor when Japanese planes savaged the Pacific Fleet on Sunday, December 7.
The USS
Saratoga (CV-3) was refitting in San Diego, the USS
Enterprise (CV-6) was returning after ferrying fighters to the Marine Corps defense force on Wake Island, the USS
This Is the Story of America s Original Top Gun
Navy ace “Butch” O’Hare won the Medal of Honor taking on eight Japanese torpedo bombers singlehandedly to protect his ship, USS Lexington.
Here s What You Need to Know: Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is named after this American legend.
Edward Henry “Butch” O’Hare rocketed to fame in February 1942 by singlehandedly taking on eight Japanese torpedo bombers bent on destroying the aircraft carrier USS Lexington and shooting down several of them. For this deed, President Franklin D. Roosevelt decorated him with the Medal of Honor. Just 21 months later, he was dead, killed off the Gilbert Islands in the Central Pacific while engaged in night-fighting combat.
scuttled and sent to the bottom of the ocean. those of our men who failed to return, the world will not forget. reporter: 76 years later, lady lex discovered. right there, lexington. right there. l-e-x oh, yeah. reporter: 500 miles off australia s east coast. they found guns still mounted. you can see the rifling still in the barrel of the gun. reporter: two torpedo bombers, resting on top of one another. a grumman f4f wildcat. the expedition funded by microsoft co-founder paul allen, saying he does it in part to honor his father, a veteran of that war, and all who served. the discovery from a battle more seven decades ago. those images a powerful reminder to honor those who sacrificed for this country. thank you for watching here on a tuesday night. i m david muir. i hope to see you tomorrow. good night . a life staving discovery
leave bleeding gums behind with parodontax toothpaste. finally tonight here, america strong. and the uss lexington, lost in battle 76 years ago, discovered at the bottom of the sea. america s sea war, the year was 1942, world war ii. the united states navy was certainly on the spot in the battle of the coral sea. reporter: the battle of the coral sea, between japanese and u.s. forces. now we really hit the japanese navy. reporter: the fighting halting the advance of the japanese, but at a price. hundreds of american lives lost. 216 lives on the aircraft carrier the uss lexington alone. lady lex, as the carrier was called, badly damaged.