During the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942, the legendary aircraft carrier USS Lexington, affectionately called the “Lady Lex,” became one of the first major U.S. Navy losses of World War II. After suffering devastating damage from Japanese bombers and torpedoes, Captain Frederick Sherman gave the order to abandon ship. As the crew prepared to evacuate, a handful of sailors made one unforgettable stop — the ship’s ice cream freezer. Before leaving their beloved carrier, they raided the stores and enjoyed every last scoop, refusing to let the enemy claim it. That lighthearted moment amid chaos became one of the most human and iconic stories of WWII naval history. The “Lady Lex” sank with honor, but her sailors’ love for ice cream would later inspire the Navy’s floating ice cream barges — proving that even in war, morale matters.

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