USS Abraham Lincoln sailors reunite with loved ones after nearly a year away

The USS Abraham Lincoln returned to its homeport in San Diego on Thursday after a 321-day deployment, marking one of the longest U.S. aircraft carrier deployments since the Cold War. The crew of approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines spent significant time in the Middle East supporting operations related to the war with Iran, including a record-setting 265 days at sea without a port visit. The homecoming was marked by emotional reunions, including roughly 60 fathers meeting their newborn children for the first time. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the ship to present the Presidential Unit Citation, while also addressing reports of difficult shipboard conditions and mental health challenges faced by the crew during the extended mission.

The USS Abraham Lincoln returned to its homeport in San Diego on Thursday after a 321-day deployment, marking one of the longest U.S. aircraft carrier deployments since the Cold War. The crew of approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines spent significant time in the Middle East supporting operations related to the war with Iran, including a record-setting 265 days at sea without a port visit. The homecoming was marked by emotional reunions, including roughly 60 fathers meeting their newborn children for the first time. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the ship to present the Presidential Unit Citation, while also addressing reports of difficult shipboard conditions and mental health challenges faced by the crew during the extended mission.