First stop – The Flight Deck
As an Air Force retiree, touring the historic USS Lexington museum while on vacation in Rockport, Texas, was near the top of Andy’s list. Otherwise known as The Blue Ghost, the USS Lexington was an aircraft carrier during WWII. The decommissioned Essex-class ship is currently docked in Corpus Christi Bay.
After purchasing tickets, we began our self-tour. Using the provided map and following the well-marked route, we started our journey on the flight deck. We enjoyed the view and checked out the various planes on the deck. It was amazing to see the aircraft close up.
After being decommissioned at the end of WWII, CV 16 was modernized and reclassified as an attack carrier, then an antisubmarine carrier, and finally, ending her career as a training carrier.
Our last stop on Tour One was the Navigation Bridge. It was fun to look out from the top and see the bay. I captured Andy pondering which way to go.
Going Below – The Little City Inside
After finishing the bridge, we started the next two tours, the Lower Deck and the Gallery Deck.
Walking up and down narrow staircases, along tight passageways, and through many historical exhibits about various battles, commanders, and the daily activities of the crew, we had fun learning about life on the aircraft carrier.
We saw where scenes from the movie ‘Pearl Harbor’ were filmed. The pictures below depicted the sleeping berths on the Japanese ship.
We even peeked in on a private dinner in the Captain’s cabin!
We completed all five of the tours, which, according to the website, covered 100,000 square feet and eleven decks. Our last stop was the gift shop, where I purchased a reusable shopping bag with a picture of the iconic Rosie the Riveter on it.
We were on the USS Lexington for about three and a half hours. They were locking the doors as we left. For more information regarding this historic aircraft carrier, click HERE.
Relaxing and Enjoying the View
Leaving the USS Lexington, we drove a short way to a local restaurant along the beach. We were hungry and thirsty. It was a great ending to a fun day!
For more of our South Texas adventure, check out Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Warning – there will be alligators!
If you have questions about our website or adventures, click Contact Us.
If you’ve been reading our blog, you know take pictures of Zoltar whenever we see him. The version on the USS Lexington was a bit different.
