Archive · 8 Oct 2026
USS Lincoln Returns Home After Record 265-Day Deployment
The USS Abraham Lincoln is a large Navy aircraft carrier returning to its home port in San Diego.
It spent 265 days at sea, supporting the war against Iran.
That was a record time between port visits for the ship.
Some reports described stress among the crew and shortages of supplies.
Navy leaders said food remained available, although combat made it harder to bring supplies aboard and meal choices were reduced briefly.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the crew and presented them with a major award.
The Navy said eight sailors attempted suicide during the deployment.
The ship’s crew and its strike group carried out thousands of missions and other military actions described in the award citation.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is returning to San Diego after 265 uninterrupted days at sea.
The carrier supported the war against Iran and its strike group received the Presidential Unit Citation.
Crew members were reported to have faced stress, mental-health concerns and shortages of food and hygiene products.
The Navy later acknowledged that combat operations temporarily reduced meal options, while saying four balanced meals were served daily.
The Navy told lawmakers that eight sailors attempted suicide during the deployment.
- Who
- The USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group, whose crew received a Presidential Unit Citation.
- What
- The carrier is returning to San Diego after a 265-day deployment supporting the war against Iran.
- When
- It is due to return Thursday; no calendar date is specified.
- Where
- From the Middle East to San Diego, California.
- Why
- The deployment supported military operations against Iran.
Concerns about conditions
Navy and Hegseth’s response
Crew welfare and supplies
Concerns about conditions
Reports described stress, poor mental health and shortages of food and hygiene products aboard the carrier.
Navy and Hegseth’s response
The Navy initially downplayed problems. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao later said food supplies were adequate, although combat operations briefly reduced meal options; he said four nutritionally balanced meals were served daily.
Meaning of the deployment
Concerns about conditions
The reported crew difficulties drew attention to the strain of the unusually long deployment.
Navy and Hegseth’s response
Pete Hegseth rejected portraying the Lincoln as a symbol of dysfunction, low morale or a failed mission, and praised the crew’s resilience and completion of its mission.
- Deployment length
- 265 uninterrupted days at sea
- Home port
- San Diego
- Award
- Presidential Unit Citation
- Strike group missions
- 3,693 combat missions, according to the award citation
- Ordnance delivered
- 1.37 million pounds, according to the award citation
- Tomahawk missiles launched
- 450, according to the award citation
- Suicide attempts reported
- Eight sailors, according to information the Navy gave lawmakers