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80-G-16655: Battle of the Coral Sea, May 1942

80-G-16665: Battle of the Coral Sea, May 1942. A "mushroom cloud" rises after a heavy explosion on board USS Lexington (CV-2), 8 May 1942. This is probably the "great explosion" from the detonation of torpedo warheads stowed in the starboard side of the hangar, aft, that followed an explosion amidships at 1727 hrs. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (4/10/2014).
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Caption: Battle of the Coral Sea, May 1942. An explosion amidships on USS Lexington (CV-2), while she was being abandoned during the afternoon of 8 May 1942. This may be the explosion reported to have taken place at 1727 hrs, which was followed by a "great explosion" aft as stowed torpedo warheads detonated on the hangar deck. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (4/10/2014).
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