USS Abraham Lincoln Returns After Record-Breaking 10-Month Deployment Amid Crew Concerns

The USS Abraham Lincoln returned to San Diego after sailors completed a record 265-day deployment at sea, a mission that became subject to public scrutiny due to reports of supply shortages and concerns over crew mental health.

Families gathered to greet the ship, many expressing relief and sharing stories of their sailors' cravings for specific foods, underscoring the hardships faced during the extended period away from port. Abel Ramirez, 20, described his first deployment as an "amazing" experience but admitted there were moments he "never thought" he would leave the ship. Kathy Monterrosa, whose husband served on the Lincoln, spoke of her anxieties during his deployment, particularly while she was pregnant.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met the crew aboard the carrier before its arrival in San Diego, presenting them with the Presidential Unit Citation. Hegseth addressed concerns about the deployment, stating, "what makes the US military and the US Navy and all these sailors different is that you adapt and that you´re resilient and you overcome - you finish the mission nonetheless."

The carrier departed San Diego in November and arrived in the Middle East in January, operating in support of combat operations related to the Iran conflict. The Navy acknowledged that while adequate food supplies were maintained, resupply limitations temporarily reduced meal options for a period. Captain Daniel Keeler, the ship's commander, noted that most of the crew were on their first deployment and considered the challenges faced to be normal for such an extended tour, asserting that all personnel had access to four meals daily.

Reports emerged that eight sailors attempted suicide during the deployment, with another sailor being medically evacuated after an attempt to go overboard. Families also raised concerns about 12-hour shifts, plumbing issues, moldy showers, and reduced food portions during difficult resupply periods. The Navy confirmed eight suicide attempts across the carrier, its air wing, and accompanying ships during the mission. Experts cautioned, however, that more data is needed to determine if the rate of suicide attempts was unusually high within the strike group of approximately 6,000 personnel over ten months.

The USS Abraham Lincoln's strike group conducted nearly 3,700 combat missions, launched 450 Tomahawk cruise missiles, and engaged in various other operational objectives, according to the Presidential Unit Citation. The carrier's extended deployment set a record for days between ports of call, making it the second carrier to undergo such a lengthy mission during the Iran conflict and receive the Presidential Unit Citation afterward.

The USS Gerald R. Ford previously completed a 326-day deployment in May, the longest for an aircraft carrier in 50 years, though it did not include as many uninterrupted days at sea as the Lincoln's mission. The USS George Washington relieved the Lincoln in the Middle East in August.