USS Abraham Lincoln returns to San Diego after troubled 10-month deployment amid Iran war

The USS Abraham Lincoln returned Thursday to its homeport in San Diego after an over-10-month deployment marred by reports of supply shortages and deteriorating crew mental health including multiple confirmed suicide attempts.

WATCH | USS Abraham Lincoln returns home

Friends and family cheered and waved as the Nimitz-class carrier arrived, welcoming home a crew of about 5,000 sailors and Marines. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the ship a day earlier and awarded the Lincoln and accompanying ships the Presidential Unit Citation. According to Hegseth, the strike group executed 3,693 combat missions.

The Lincoln deployed in late November 2025 and arrived in the Middle East shortly before the start of the U.S.-Iran war. The ship then remained at sea without a port call for a record 265 days, before docking for the first time at a port in Thailand last month.

RELATED STORY | Lawmakers demand answers about deteriorating conditions aboard US warships

Before acknowledging some issues aboard the ship, the U.S. Navy initially attempted to downplay problems stemming from the lengthy deployment.

"The Lincoln was extended because the mission demanded it," acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said in August. "Deployments are hard. Combat operations make them harder. War is hell and normal routines are disrupted. One of the hardest aspects about warfighting beyond knowingly placing our service members in harm's way is that even with the best planning and communication, change and uncertainty will always be in play. Our success depends on how we adapt."

The Lincoln is the second carrier to experience an unusually long deployment amid the ongoing war with Iran. It was ultimately relieved in the Middle East by the USS George Washington which is normally based in Asia leaving the western Pacific without one of its key American aircraft carriers.