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USS LEXINGTON...
Part 2
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Japanese
propaganda specialist
Tokyo Rose announced the Blue Ghost had
been sunk after a hit by one of their torpedo
planes. They had no idea… the Japanese
would be in for a big surprise!
Repairs were completed at Bremerton, Wash., Feb., 1944,
and she was ready to re-enter the war. After a quick stop
in Alameda, Calif., she sailed for Pearl Harbor to join Task
Force 58. Adm. Marc Mitscher, commander of TF 58, was
waiting for the Blue Ghost to meet them at the island of
Majuro. TF 58 used Majuro as its home base for supporting
10
US ground forces as they island hop their way across the
western Pacific.
For the next 18 months TF 58 leads naval forces across the
Pacific destroying Japanese strongholds. April 13, 1944, TF
58 participated in the landing at Hollandia. TF 58s’ next stop
is Truk where the Ghost, despite heavy attacks by Japanese
aircraft, received no damage. Tokyo Rose erroneously
reported (for a second time) that the Lexington was lost
to Japanese air attacks. On June 16, while supporting U.S.
Marines at the battle for the island of Saipan, the Lexington
fought off a heavy attack of Japanese torpedo planes based on
the island of Guam. For a third time Tokyo Rose announced
the Lexington had been sunk and again, she was wrong.
By June 19, the Lexington was back in action anticipating
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