BANGKOK — A piece of prized World War II U.S. naval history, the wreckage of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington, which was sunk by the Japanese in a crucial sea battle, has been discovered by an expedition funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
The expedition team announced that the wreckage of the Lexington, crippled by the enemy and then scuttled May 8, 1942, in the Battle of the Coral Sea, was found Sunday on the seabed in waters about 2 miles deep, more than 500 miles off Australia’s east coast.
“To pay tribute to the USS Lexington and the brave men that served on her is an honor,” Allen said on his Web page. “As Americans, all of us owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who served and who continue to serve our country for their courage, persistence and sacrifice.”
The battle helped stop a Japanese advance that could have cut off Australia and New Guinea from Allied sea supply routes, and it crippled two Japanese carriers, leading to a more conclusive U.S. victory at sea a month later at the Battle of Midway.
The sea battle is also known for being the first in which the opposing ships did not come in sight of each other, carrying out their attacks with carrier-launched aircraft.
Allen’s teams have made several previous important shipwreck discoveries, including three other U.S. Navy vessels, an Italian destroyer, and the Japanese battleship Musashi.
The ship that found the Lexington, the Research Vessel Petral, has equipment capable of diving about 3½ miles. It was deployed in early 2017 in the Philippine Sea before moving to the Coral Sea off the Australian coast.