Lexington Wildcats

Two Grumman F4F-3 Wildcats of VF-2 “Chiefs” cruise above CV-2 Lexington - “The Gray Lady” - in late April 1942 just after the Chiefs’... more

by Wade Meyers

Original - Sold

Price

Not Specified

Dimensions

14.000 x 6.750 inches

Title

Lexington Wildcats

Artist

Wade Meyers

Medium

Drawing - Graphite On Toned Paper

Description

Two Grumman F4F-3 Wildcats of VF-2 “Chiefs” cruise above CV-2 Lexington - “The Gray Lady” - in late April 1942 just after the Chiefs’ assignment to the aircraft carrier, replacing VF-3, nicknamed, “Felix the Cat.” The pivotal Battle of Coral Sea, which was to occur on 7-8 May 1942, loomed ominous.

With Fighting 2’s assignment to CV-2’s air group on 15 April, it immediately gained nineteen of VF-3’s Wildcats and a dozen of it’s naval aviators. One of them, Fighting 3’s Flight & Maintenance Officer, Lieutenant Noel A. M. Gayler, a 1935 Naval Academy graduate from Birmingham, Alabama, and already an experienced hand with three aerial victories, transferred to VF-2 as its XO (Executive Officer).

While his plane was one of those transferred, Gayler was assigned or “took on” another Wildcat as his personal aircraft with VF-2. His former mount, still bearing the name G A Y L E R below the cockpit, complete with his tally of aerial victory flags and one lone bomb symbol for a rare bombing mission undertaken by VF-3, was renumbered “F-5” by VF-2 and assigned to LT Albert O. Vorse, Jr., another former VF-3 aviator. Notwithstanding the now-outdated ‘Felix the Cat’ markings, the stubby fighter was quickly pressed into active service with her new squadron. As of this writing, the side number “F-5” had carried while with VF-3 and flown by Gayler is unknown. VF-3’s maintenance records went down with the ship. This F4F is featured in my drawing.


The USS Lexington was lost in the Battle of Coral Sea due to heavy damage from Japanese air strikes, but she went down swinging. LT Gayler, for one, flew “F-13” as one of the fighter escorts on a strike on May 8th against the carrier Shokaku, and shot down two Japanese scout bombers to increase his score to five victories and earn the coveted title of ‘ace.’ Gayler and his fellow pilots were shocked upon returning to find that the Japanese had coincidentally attacked while they were away striking at the Japanese vessels. They recovered aboard a mortally wounded Lexington, and later that day the order was given to abandon the mighty ship. Lex was finally sent to the bottom with torpedoes from US ships. 35 aircraft are reported to have gone down with CV-2.

Noel Gayler went on to finish World War II with five confirmed aerial victories, plus one probable victory, and three Navy Crosses on his chest. He retired from the Navy in 1976 as a full Admiral and Commander in Chief of United States Pacific Command (CINCPAC). As CINCPAC, ADM Gayler personally welcomed back the Vietnam Prisoners of War as they each stepped off the plane at Clark AFB, Philippines after leaving Hanoi. He passed away in 2011 at age 96.



On March 4th, 2018, the research vessel Petrel, owned and operated by Paul Allen Expeditions, located the Lexington at a depth of two miles on the floor of the Coral Sea as part of her ongoing important mission to find and document the final resting places of these gallant warships and many of the men who served aboard them. The crystal clear images transmitted to the world by R/V Petrel were breathtaking … in particular one set of images of a small fighter plane with “F-5” painted on her side struck a chord with me.

After such a traumatic battle and then a plunge to the bottom, the fighter can be seen sitting remarkably upright, heavily damaged to be sure, and yet strangely intact and seemingly apart from the crumpled groupings of other planes. Her cockpit canopy is slid back as if awaiting a pilot, and the life raft covering behind the cockpit is plainly missing - it is known that sailors abandoning the Lexington had ‘borrowed’ aircrew life rafts from the onboard warplanes as they left the ship. The Wildcat’s upright position allows a clear view of her VF-2 identity as “F-5,” the former mount of LT Gayler while he and the fighter were assigned to VF-3, complete with the stenciled letters of his name almost obscured by overgrown sea barnacles. The hand-painted VF-3 victory record of a large bomb and four small Japanese flags (for two confirmed kills plus two shared victories at the time of the transfer to VF-2) remains on proud display, intact and unfaded after so many years at the bottom of the freezing cold ocean and look as if they could have been painted recently.

If aircraft of war have a soul, as some who have flown in combat say, I’m sure F-5 regarded Petrel’s advanced drone and it’s strange lights with a momentary mild curiosity before resuming her duty as eternal escort for her carrier and the 216 men who never made it off the ship.

Uploaded

March 25th, 2018