3 hrs ago
USS Abraham Lincoln Returns After Lengthy Gulf Deployment
The USS Abraham Lincoln is a large aircraft carrier that came back to San Diego on Thursday.
It had been away for almost a year, first going to the South China Sea and later to the Middle East.
Thousands of family members waited to welcome the sailors home.
Some families said phone and video calls had been hard to make during the trip.
More than 100 sailors who had become fathers met their babies for the first time.
An administration letter said eight people in the carrier strike group had attempted suicide, but none died.
The letter also said food was adequate, though the crew briefly had fewer main dish choices.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the ship before it arrived and announced an award for the strike group.
The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived at its San Diego home port Thursday after nearly a year away.
The carrier left California in November 2025 for the South China Sea and was later rerouted to the Middle East.
Thousands of family members gathered for reunions, including more than 100 fathers meeting their babies for the first time.
An administration letter reported eight suicide attempts among strike-group service members, with no deaths; it also said food supplies were adequate despite briefly reduced entrée choices.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the strike group and announced a presidential unit citation for what he called extraordinary heroism.
- Who
- The USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group, their crews, and the families waiting for them.
- What
- The aircraft carrier returned to its home port after a lengthy deployment.
- Where
- San Diego, California.
- When
- Thursday; it had left California in November 2025.
- Why
- It returned after deployment that included duty in the South China Sea and the Middle East.
Concerns and Family Accounts
Administration and Military Response
Crew welfare
Concerns and Family Accounts
Military families and lawmakers raised concerns about reported suicide attempts and food shortages during the deployment; families also described difficult communication with sailors.
Administration and Military Response
The administration acknowledged eight suicide attempts but said no one died, and stated that food supplies were adequate.
Food aboard the carrier
Concerns and Family Accounts
Families and lawmakers raised concerns about food shortages aboard the ship.
Administration and Military Response
The administration said limited resupply during combat briefly reduced main entrée choices from two to one, while supplies remained adequate.
Key facts
- Ship
- USS Abraham Lincoln
- Home port
- San Diego, California
- Departure
- California, November 2025
- Time away
- Almost a year
- Suicide attempts
- Eight among strike-group service members; the administration said none died
- Food options
- The administration said supplies were adequate, though main entrée choices briefly fell from two to one
- Award
- A presidential unit citation for the carrier strike group
Quotes
Patricia Harmon
Army veteran waiting for her sailor son to return.
“We heard from him through e-mails... we were able to text here and there. Phone calls were terrible. It never worked. He could hear us, but we couldn't hear him.”
firstpost.com
NDTV
“He was there longer than we expected, but that's life in the military.”
firstpost.com
Pete Hegseth
U.S. defense secretary, speaking to sailors aboard the carrier.
“What the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group did, no other carrier strike group has ever done.”
firstpost.com
NDTV
Sources
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