The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) returned to Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego on Thursday, ending what officials describe as a record-setting deployment at sea.
A record run at sea
The carrier's deployment lasted 321 days according to US reports including USA Today, while Al Jazeera reported 322 days — either figure making it one of the longest deployments in US Navy history. The ship spent a record 265 consecutive days at sea without a port call, with roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard.
The Lincoln departed San Diego on November 21, 2025, and supported the US-Israeli war on Iran under Operation Epic Fury. A brief port stop in Thailand in September was its only break before the homecoming on October 8. The USS George Washington has relieved the Lincoln in the Middle East.
Presidential Unit Citation
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth flew out to the carrier at sea on October 7 and presented the crew with the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest unit-level decoration in the US military.
A heavy toll at sea
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said eight sailors aboard the Lincoln attempted suicide during the deployment, though no sailor died by suicide. The figure underscores the human cost of the extended time at sea and has drawn attention to the mental-health strains on deployed naval personnel.
The homecoming marks the close of a deployment that tested the limits of carrier operations.
Sources:
- USS Abraham Lincoln back home after historic deployment (USA Today)
- USS Lincoln returns to US after long deployment supporting war on Iran (Al Jazeera)
A record run at sea
The carrier's deployment lasted 321 days according to US reports including USA Today, while Al Jazeera reported 322 days — either figure making it one of the longest deployments in US Navy history. The ship spent a record 265 consecutive days at sea without a port call, with roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard.
The Lincoln departed San Diego on November 21, 2025, and supported the US-Israeli war on Iran under Operation Epic Fury. A brief port stop in Thailand in September was its only break before the homecoming on October 8. The USS George Washington has relieved the Lincoln in the Middle East.
Presidential Unit Citation
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth flew out to the carrier at sea on October 7 and presented the crew with the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest unit-level decoration in the US military.
A heavy toll at sea
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said eight sailors aboard the Lincoln attempted suicide during the deployment, though no sailor died by suicide. The figure underscores the human cost of the extended time at sea and has drawn attention to the mental-health strains on deployed naval personnel.
The homecoming marks the close of a deployment that tested the limits of carrier operations.
Sources:
- USS Abraham Lincoln back home after historic deployment (USA Today)
- USS Lincoln returns to US after long deployment supporting war on Iran (Al Jazeera)
