December 15th, 1942
Norfolk, Virginia - Back to the yard on this chilly morning. At the Comte de Grasse Barracks, everyone is wearing a herringbone cotton jumpsuit and a hard hat.
Thus equipped, everyone is impatient to finally set foot aboard their future building.
Divided into groups of four or five and supervised by an officer who had participated in the conversion work, they soon cross one of the metal gangways used as a cutaway to enter the bowels of what is still only a gigantic construction site as animated as a beehive. Lagadec is part of the group led by IM Charles de Kerdonval, a mechanical officer and future head of the Aviation Installations Department.
The corridors are cluttered with pipes, cables, mobile sponges, railings, various and varied tools. Each step forward must be calculated to slip through without bumping into or jostling the busy workers.
When he arrives at the main bridge, or bridge 00, Lagadec finally feels in his element: the immense hangar still cluttered with scaffolding that opens in front of him is well made to welcome beautiful aircraft. At the level of the axial elevators, on each side, large ports open onto the outside. Similarly, the port side elevator opens wide over the dark waters of the James River, almost eight meters below. On the back of the hangar, just after axial elevator n°2, specialized workshops extend on two levels, on decks 00 and 01.
They will allow the maintenance of the engines, the circuits, the weapons and the instruments of the aircraft. Lagadec also discovers, with a pinch in the heart, the workshop which will have to repair the holes made by the enemy projectiles...
Towards the front, the hangar stops after the axial elevator n°1, then come two levels of premises, directly under the flight deck.
- It was necessary to find space to reposition all the old posts located under the 152 mm turrets and the massif. These two new false decks therefore house the majority of the housing and squares that were levelled. It is not the most comfortable place on board if your planes take off all the time, Yvon, but it will be for a good cause!" says Charles.
The visitors then arrive on the front deck, now almost completely covered, whose ports on the sides of the deck allow the hawsers to be maneuvered. At the end, a raised barbette receives a quadruple 40 mm gun mount.
Going down below the main deck, the small group leads to the crew quarters, which have not been modified. We still find there the folding metal tables and the long bars spiked with hooks that allow to install the hammocks in the evening. Indeed, the lack of space has not allowed us to upgrade to the US Navy's standards for accommodation. Under the crew quarters are stores and workshops for the boscos, the forward peak and cofferdams used for ballasting liquid ballast.
- A little further back, there are two sections reserved for the commissariat service where we find lazarettes, cold rooms, wine holds, fresh water bunkers, flour bunkers and kitchens, in short, everything that allows us to serve the quality French food for which our navy is famous," says Charles.
- It's a good thing we didn't touch anything on this side," replies Lagadec. "I didn't really want to find the beans & corned beef or steak & peas that were the usual fare at Lady Lex.
- As the other Kerdonval, aka my beloved brother, mentioned yesterday in his presentation", Charles continues with a smile, "the next sections, located under the old 380 turrets, have been completely redesigned to house fuel, ammunition and other aviation-specific ingredients, as well as their freight elevators.
The visit continues towards the central sections of the ship,
- Now, everyone has to go through this area, otherwise a good part of the crew will get angry!" laughs Charles. "Going down to the "mine" behind me and without touching anything.
The group then begins a long descent by vertical ladders that lead to the front boiler room. Arrived in the "heating street", the officers discover the fronts of the boilers behind an incredible tangle of pipes, pumps, valves, levers and indicators that give them an idea of what could be a mechanical hell.
In the midst of this peculiar environment, a few crewmen are working on maintenance or checking operations. One of them, in particular, wears curious rank marks, not very common in the navy: two red chevrons topped by a golden chevron.
- Yvon, let me introduce you to a country of your own: the mechanical petty officer Job Lagadec! He's the boss here, a real chouff [a petty officer in charge of the boilers with more than ten years of service], hence his Mexican petty officer's stripes. Between us, we call him "Two reds and a pastis", because of the color of his stripes, but also because of his favorite occupation on land. That said, since he joined us here, it is rather "Two Cokes and an orange juice", for lack of a better word, right chouff?" says Charles while talking to the petty officer.
- Ah that, y' are right chief, true country of sauvaches here that it is here!" growls the other Lagadec.
Then, addressing himself to Yvon: "Respect Captain, and if you were born on the side of Ploudal, there might be som' fam' there!
- We'll take a close look at it, chouff, and if I find a bottle of the right color I'll think of you!" answers Yvon laughing.
Charles de Kerdonval continues, for everyone: "Gentlemen, I'll spare you the two other boiler rooms and the central and lateral machine compartments, located further back. However, in keeping with tradition, given that we are at the lowest point of the ship, I propose that we move on..."
- From the keel to the midship masthead!" all the officers reply in chorus.
- Well, I see that the traditions of welcoming midshipmen on board have not been lost with the war! Let's go, there are only fourteen levels to climb!
While going up from the "mine", the group takes advantage of a test of the side elevator to emerge on the flight deck and admire the island framed by two double turrets of 127 mm Mk 32. They then enter the interior to continue on the front of the island and from bottom to top by visiting the navigation bridge, the command bridge and the lookout ring, then go down through the back of the island, passing through the aviation bridge, the transmissions center and the operations center. In these premises, almost everything is American-made and the equipment is identical to that of the Essex class. Admiringly, the visitors comment on the tactical progress that these new aircraft will bring.
To the discrete satisfaction of some, there will be no ascent to the top of the mast, because this one is still surrounded by the scaffoldings necessary to the installation of the last missing aerials.
All of them then go back down to deck 03 (flight deck level) and meet the other visiting groups in the brand new briefing room. There, Yvon Lagadec distinguishes himself once again by forcing his way in to be the first to sit in one of the comfortable armchairs, in the front row.
- The first deck, the first soup, the first group of leave-takers, as they say in the the aviators! Aah, now I'm home at last!" he says.
When everyone is settled, Louis de Kerdonval takes the floor: "Commander, Gentlemen, your attention please...". And, once calm has returned: "Now, a little surprise for our most famous penguin, on behalf of all those who have worked to make a "flat-top" worthy of such a pilot... and also in honor of our American allies, to thank them for their help.
Louis then slides a curtain hung on a partition of the briefing room and discovers a painted wooden crest representing Felix the Cat wearing a Breton hat and carrying a bomb in the colours of the naval aviation cockade, all on a yellow background: Lagadec's personal insignia since his passage to the VF3. Underneath, it says: "USS Lexington Hall".
Blushing, Lagadec is moved and gives his heartfelt thanks. As a finale, everyone sings an old sailor's song, perhaps not very adapted to the current war, but who cares :
« Avec Jean-Bart s’en sont allés
Ohé du mousse, le vent te pousse
Avec Jean-Bart s’en sont allés
Gars de Dunkerque et de Calais
Pour sur la mer battre l’Anglais
Chante le vent, Ohé, hého !
Hisse la voile, fier matelot
Voguèrent alors nuit et jour
Ohé du mousse, le vent te pousse
Voguèrent alors nuit et jour
Et déjà parlaient de retour
Quand l’Anglais parut à l’entour.
Chante le vent, Ohé, hého !
Hisse la voile, fier matelot
Les attaquèrent en chant
Ohé du mousse, le vent te pousse
Les attaquèrent en chant
Tuant, fendant, décapitant
Sans même faiblir un instant.
Chante le vent, Ohé, hého !
Hisse la voile, fier matelot
Au soir sur le flot apaisé
Ohé du mousse, le vent te pousse
Au soir sur le flot apaisé
Flottait au haut du grand hunier
Le pavillon fleurdelisé.
Chante le vent, Ohé, hého !
Hisse la voile, fier matelot ! »
Roughly translating to:
With Jean-Bart went away
Ohé sailor, the wind pushes you
With Jean-Bart they went away
Boys from Dunkirk and Calais
To beat the Englishman on the sea
Sing the wind, ahoy!
Hoist the sail, proud sailor
Sail then night and day
Ooh, the wind is pushing you
Sail then night and day
And were already talking of returning
When the Englishman appeared around.
Sing the wind, ahoy!
Hoist the sail, proud sailor
They attacked in song
The wind is pushing you, ahoy!
They attacked in song
Killing, splitting, decapitating
Without even a moment's hesitation.
Sing the wind, ahoy!
Hoist the sail, proud sailor
In the evening on the calm sea
Ahoy there, the wind is driving you
In the evening on the calm wave
Floated at the top of the great topsail
The flag with the fleurdelisé.
Sing the wind, ahoy!
Hoist the sail, proud sailor!
.........
Luckily, there were no Englishmen within earshot," Lagadec says, "but if necessary, we would have explained to them that it was only traditional, as for them to have a battleship named Nelson... And they would have understood!"
