User:TruthToBeSpoken/Elvin Bell

Elvin Bell was a decorated African-American hero who served with the US Navy during the Second World War. On May 8, when the USS Lexington (CV-2) was damaged in battle, he distinguished himself by managing to rescue three men.

USS Lexington
The USS Lexington (CV-2) was an American aircraft carrier during the Second World War. It was part of the Pacific fleet and had 2,122 men on board. The ship escaped the attack on Pearl Harbor because it was en-route to Midway to deliver aircraft. The also ship participated in the aborted attack on the island of Wake.

May 8 1942
During the battle in the Coral Sea, on May 8, 1942, the USS Lexington was badly damaged. Two torpedoes and three bombs caused the ship to be damaged. Although it initially appeared that the damage was limited, gasoline vapors exploded and it was not possible to save the ship. One of the men who helped save the ship was Elvin Bell. When it slowly became clear that the ship was lost. Commander Mort Seligman who was in charge of evacuation, summoned all the men who were near him, including the reporter Stanley Johnston, around him and said: "There are three men in hold So-and-So. That's below the fire. To reach them, one of you must walk around the fire and through passage X."

Bell, who was wearing a smoke mask, stepped up and said:

"I'll go, Sir".

"Are you sure you know how to reach them?" Seligman asked.

- "Yes, Sir. I know the way."

- "Do you realize that you may never make it, or, may never come back?"

- "Yes, Sir. I do. But I still would like to try," Bell answered.

Seligman gave his approval and assured, he would wait with some other crew members until Bell came back.

Bell had to walk through various long corridors, and downstairs to reach the sailors. In the meantime, the air got really hot due to all the fire. And still he managed to reach the three men. When he finally appeared, he was not alone, but was accompanied by the three rescued sailors.

At 17:07 the order was given to abandon the ship. 2770 crew members and officers were taken off. Some of them were transferred to the other ships. The rest waited in the water, until they could be rescued.

The USS Lexington was eventually sunk when the destroyer USS Phelps (DD-360) fired two torpedoes at the aircraft carrier, to prevent the Japanese from claiming, they had sunk the ship. The aircraft carrier disappeared underwater around 20:00, followed by a powerful explosion.

Bell was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his deed. This medal was given because it concerned heroic non-combat actions. Bell's name appeared in newspapers:

"Navy secretary Knox, on behalf of President Roosevelt, has awarded decorations to two officers and eight enlisted men for heroism. Among the enlisted men, who received the Navy and Marine Corps medal for service aboard the Aircraft Carrier Lexington in the battle of the Coral sea, was Elvin Bell, mess attendant third class, 20, foster child of Miss Marie Lofton, Jamaica, N.Y. […] "

What happened to Elvin Bell after the Second World War is unknown.

Citation
'The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Machinist's Apprentice Third Class Elvin Bell (NSN: 6460419), United States Navy, for heroism involving voluntary risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy, while serving aboard the Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-2), on 8 May 1942, during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Machinist's Apprentice Third Class Bell voluntarily joined a repair party fighting fire in an area frequented by violent explosions of gasoline vapor and ammunition and, although emerging in an exhausted condition, unhesitatingly entered the most dangerous section of the stricken carrier and assisted in removing injured personnel who had been trapped below decks. His courage and utter disregard for his own safety were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.'