In Corpus Christi, Texas there are a lot of things to do and places to see. It has a lot of beaches that people frequent. It is also where the Texas State Aquarium is located so people can visit it to see life underwater.

An aerial shot of downtown Corpus Christi, Texas. (Link: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2020/04/05/corpus-christi-mayor-asking-tourists-to-not-visit-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/)

One of the best attractions here is the supposed haunted U.S.S. Lexington. The naval ship was converted into a museum and is said to be filled with spirits.

The U.S.S. Lexington as seen today. (Link: https://www.101corpuschristi.com/uss_lexington)

The History of U.S.S. Lexington

The U.S.S. Lexington, which has been given the nickname “The Blue Ghost,” was built during the World War II specifically for the United States Navy. She was given such a name to honor the Revolutionary War Battle of Lexington. It was actually the fifth U.S. Navy ship to bear such a name.

An old photo of the U.S.S. Lexington during World War II. (Link: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/03/06/wreckage-aircraft-carrier-uss-lexington-sunk-wwii-found-pacific/398471002/)

The ship was launched on September 23, 1942. It was commissioned the next year and has been used extensively through the Pacific War. She was the flagship for Admiral Marc Mitscher and led the Fast Carrier Task Force through their battles during the aforementioned war. The ship was also given 11 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation to recognize its service.

Later, it was modernized as an attack carrier. Further, it was reclassified as an antisubmarine carrier. It also served as a training carrier. By the year 1991, the U.S.S. Lexington was decommissioned. And since then, it has been docked in Corpus Christi, Texas after it was turned into a museum. It is the oldest remaining fleet carrier in the world. 

Another old photo of the U.S.S. Lexington when it was used as a carrier. (Link: https://www.caller.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2020/01/08/uss-lexington-aircraft-carrier-museum-corpus-christi/2832206001/)

The Ghosts At The U.S.S. Lexington

The ship that turned into a museum is said to be one of the most haunted places not only in Corpus Christi but all over the United States. Accordingly, many visitors and staff have reported the unexplained events they experienced at the U.S.S. Lexington.

A photo of visitors going inside the U.S.S. Lexington. (Link: https://www.mysoutex.com/san_patricio_county/news/entertainment_and_society/uss-lexington-museum-reopens/article_8f26c04a-a035-11ea-ad88-cbcb27e93a4b.html)

The most common apparition at the U.S.S. Lexington is that of a sailor dressed in uniform. That spirit helps the lost guests back to the deck. Another sailor is said to be giving lectures in the engine room about how turbines work. After he gives the lecture, he vanishes into thin air. That tour guide is said to be named Charly or Charlie and he knows a lot about the ship.

One of the areas at the U.S.S. Lexington open for visitors to check out. (Link: https://www.thehauntedhousewife.com/usslexington/)

One of the real tour guides, David Deal, said that Charly or Charlie even told one team things about the engine that he did not know about. Deal added, “It’s fascinating because I’m one of these hard nuts to crack on something like this.”

Other instances involved that one time when a painting and restoration crew were painting the U.S.S. Lexington. They decided to take a break and when they returned and were ready to finish the job, they were astounded to see it was finished for them.

Staff at the museum also reported seeing a man in a Japanese pilot’s uniform and a U.S. sailor. When the staff tried to approach them, they disappeared.

Inside the U.S.S. Lexington Bridge. (Link: https://timstanleyphoto.com/2013/06/uss-lexington-bridge/)

The Missing Pen Caps

The director of operations and exhibits, Charles “Rusty” Reustle shared that he has had his fair share of supernatural occurrences as he has been working on the ship for the past 26 years.

He said that although he experienced many supernatural instances and heard numerous paranormal reports, he said that he remained skeptic. However, he said that there are some things he just can’t explain. He shared, “I always use a ballpoint pen and over the course of a few weeks I lost about six pen caps off my desk, The day I lost the sixth pen cap, I turned over my office looking for them. My office was spotless by the time I was through and I never found them. It wasn’t until I returned to my office the next morning that I found all six pen caps laying side by side right in front of my computer keyboard.”

Reustle added that none of the encounters with the spirits that live in the ship have been harmful. Most of the time, they are playful.

A scenic photo featuring U.S.S. Lexington. (Link: https://www.visitcorpuschristitx.org/see-and-do/1332/uss-lexington-museum-on-the-bay)

Some Spirits Running Around

The museum’s education coordinator, Rene Moraida, also talked about the security officers who heard someone running at around 3 A.M. Moraida said that the damage control officer did not see anything on the security cameras so he went to the area where he heard the running to check where the noise was coming from. The officer said that he saw shadowy figures running in chaos. That officer never went back to work.

It is believed that the shadowy figures running in chaos was because of a torpedo attack. The sailors were trying to save themselves from the torpedo that once hit the ship in Hangar Bay Three. The person who believes this is Bill Miller, a volunteer and paranormal tour guide at the U.S.S. Lexington. When asked why they keep on doing the same thing, Miller shared, “They’re constantly doing the same thing over and over again … maintaining the ship. This was their home and they don’t want to go anywhere else.”

A photo showing people at the U.S.S. Lexington. (Link: https://www.stripes.com/news/uss-lexington-first-aircraft-carrier-sunk-in-wwii-found-near-australia-1.515140)