USS Abraham Lincoln Returns to San Diego After Historic Deployment

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier returned to Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, California, after over 10 months at sea. The emotional homecoming saw thousands of sailors disembark to cheers, tears, and embraces. Many sailors met their newborns for the first time, having missed significant family events during the deployment that supported the Iran war.

During its time at sea, the Lincoln set a record with 265 days of continuous deployment. Families experienced anxiety due to reports of supply shortages and mental health struggles among the crew, who were largely on their first deployment. Communication was limited to sporadic emails and rare WhatsApp calls.

It feels amazing. Abel Ramirez, a young sailor, expressed as he left the carrier, eager to reunite with his family who traveled from Texas. It feels really overwhelming, echoed Cassity Garduque, 14, upon seeing her mother, a sailor on the ship, after a long absence.

Family and friends celebrated the return of the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Navy had downplayed issues during the deployment. Later, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded the crew the Presidential Unit Citation, acknowledging their resilience despite challenges. Hegseth rejected any negative portrayal of the Lincoln, emphasizing the crew’s adaptability and successful mission completion.

The Lincoln’s deployment, one of the longest for an aircraft carrier, came to an end as the ship docked with 64 fathers meeting their babies for the first time. Sailor Kathy Monterrosa described her emotional experience waiting in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with her 6-month-old daughter in tow.

I couldn’t grasp the reality of it. Steven Rivas was overwhelmed as he neared home. Another sailor’s wife, Alma Solano Velez, shared that her husband longed for home-cooked meals after experiencing food shortages on board.

The carrier left San Diego in November, reached the Middle East in January, and returned after key military operations against Iran. Combat operations had limited resupply, temporarily reducing meal variety. Despite challenges, the crew managed a stop in Thailand before returning.

Extended deployments exert pressure on service members, and during the Lincoln’s deployment, eight sailors attempted suicide. Nevertheless, the strike group executed significant military action: nearly 3,700 combat missions, launching 450 Tomahawk missiles, and neutralizing numerous threats.

The USS George Washington relieved the Lincoln in the Middle East in August, marking the end of a demanding deployment.