Cestra The USS Lexington was the second aircraft carrier of Lexington class that was created by the U.S., but it was the first used operationally. It was designed in 1916 to be an atypical battle cruiser with little armor and heavy cannons. Because of the Washington Treaty of 1922 about the reduction of naval armaments, it was reclassified andmodified into an aircraft carrier. Learn all about the history of the USS Lexington through this title. 92 pages, 166 photos, 12"x 8", softcover.