| Original caption: “Ready room aboard the USS Lexington (CV-16).” United States Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Francis M. “Frank” Fleming (October 4, 1916 – November 13, 1999), of Portland, Oregon, a pilot in Fighting Squadron Sixteen (VF-16), is exuberant after shooting down three Japanese fighters attacking USS Lexington at 1000 Hours on November 23, 1943. Twenty Japanese fighters were sighted by radar ninety miles north. They came from Taroa with belly tanks to extend range. The Combat Air Patrol of twenty-four Grumman F6F Hellcats, in their first weeks of operational deployment, was vectored out on an interception course. Engagement was made at forty to fifty miles from USS Lexington. The Hellcats had the advantage of four thousand feet (twelve hundred meters) and dove on the Zeroes at nineteen thousand feet. VF-16 shot down a total of four Mitsubishi A6M3 “Hap” Zeroes, with square wingtips, and fourteen A6M5s, plus three other unidentified bombers. Lieutenant Junior Grade Eugene R. Hanks (December 11, 1918 – March 13, 2014) became an ace, shooting down five Japanese planes. USS Lexington was hit by a Japanese aerial torpedo on December 4, 1943, shearing off the outboard starboard propeller, jamming the inboard shaft, and locking the rudder at thirty degrees to port. This necessitated returning to Pearl for repairs. Photographer United States Navy Lieutenant Commander Edward Steichen (March 27, 1879 – March 25, 1973) went aboard USS Lexington with Ensign Victor Jorgensen (July 8, 1913 – June 14, 1994) on November 10, 1943, at Pearl Harbor. They photographed operations throughout the Gilberts Campaign. The “Hap” Allied code name was later changed to “Hamp” to avoid annoying United States Army Air Force General Henry H. “Hap” Arnold (25 June 25, 1886 – 15 January 1950). Once the Allies realized it was just a Zero with square wingtips, it was codenamed “Zeke 32.” | |
| Image Filename | wwii2272.jpg |
| Image Size | 983.84 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2339 x 2423 |
| Photographer | Edward Steichen |
| Photographer Title | United States Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | November 23, 1943 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | Mille |
| Country | Marshalls |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-80-G-471311 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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