The USS Abraham Lincoln is set to return to its homeport in San Diego on Thursday after more than 300 days on deployment, bringing thousands of sailors and Marines home.
The Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which carries about 7,500 sailors and Marines, is scheduled to dock after spending months supporting U.S. military operations in the Middle East. The carrier’s deployment was extended because of the U.S.-led Operation Epic Fury against Iran. The deployment lasted 321 days, making it the second-longest since the end of the Cold War.
The ship spent 286 days at sea without a port call, while a typical deployment lasts six to seven months and includes regular stops to replenish food and other supplies. The crew left for the mission in November last year with the expectation of returning home before summer. However, the crew was ordered to remain at sea longer because of the U.S. war with Iran.
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The extended deployment created significant challenges for the crew, including concerns about mental health, morale and access to supplies. The crew was able to contact family members only when the ship stopped in Thailand in September.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the carrier shortly before its return and acknowledged the unusually long deployment, which he said he had personally authorized. He described himself as the person “who signed that orders book twice.”
Hegseth announced that the Lincoln and its strike group will receive the Presidential Unit Citation, one of the military’s highest unit honors, in recognition of their contributions during Operation Epic Fury. The operation included combat missions and a naval blockade against Iran.
According to the Navy, the Lincoln’s strike group conducted thousands of combat missions during its deployment. The carrier’s aircraft flew 3,693 sorties, and the strike group launched hundreds of Tomahawk missiles during combat operations.
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However, the length of the deployment also raised concerns about the well-being of personnel aboard the Lincoln. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao sent a letter to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, last month addressing mental-health incidents involving service members during the deployment.
Reports also raised concerns about declining morale and the psychological pressure associated with spending months away from home while operating in a combat environment. Some family members of personnel aboard the ship said the extended deployment was taking a toll on sailors’ mental health. Military officials rejected those claims and described the concerns as “old news” that had been addressed.
A Navy official said, “We take every service member’s well-being seriously and have religious, medical and mental health professionals available to assess and address concerns as they arise.”
The Lincoln eventually made stops in Thailand and Guam on its journey home.