USS Lincoln arrives at San Diego base after record-breaking deployment, with families gathered to greet crew – live

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier returned to its homeport in San Diego on Thursday after a historic 10-month deployment to the Middle East. During its 321-day assignment—the second-longest since the end of the Cold War—the ship set a record for 265 consecutive days at sea between port calls. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth greeted the crew on the final leg of their journey, announcing a Presidential Unit Citation for their role in combat operations against Iranian targets. The Navy is using lessons from the Lincoln's deployment, which was marked by supply shortages and mental health challenges, to improve quality of life for future long-term missions.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier returned to its homeport in San Diego on Thursday after a historic 10-month deployment to the Middle East. During its 321-day assignment—the second-longest since the end of the Cold War—the ship set a record for 265 consecutive days at sea between port calls. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth greeted the crew on the final leg of their journey, announcing a Presidential Unit Citation for their role in combat operations against Iranian targets. The Navy is using lessons from the Lincoln's deployment, which was marked by supply shortages and mental health challenges, to improve quality of life for future long-term missions.