Lexington's survival depended on hits, luck, and damage control

Was there a realistic way for Lexington to survive?

Yes, through different hit placement or more successful damage control, though the outcome depended heavily on circumstance and luck.

Avoiding the damaging hits altogether is the most direct route to survival. Short of that, the location of the hits could have left the ship in a more recoverable condition. Better fortune during damage control might also have contained the cascading emergency. The panel presents these as contingent possibilities rather than a simple design correction that would certainly save the carrier.