USS Abraham Lincoln Returns to San Diego After Record Deployment Amid Crew Challenges

The USS Abraham Lincoln made its way back to San Diego Bay Thursday, greeted by boats flying the U.S. flag as it headed to Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado. Onlookers celebrated the carrier’s return with ‘Welcome home’ banners and American flags lining Shelter Island as they awaited the ship’s arrival.

The USS Lincoln cruised through the bay around 11:15 a.m. after an unprecedented 265 consecutive days at sea during a nearly year-long deployment associated with the Iran conflict. Reports indicated deteriorating conditions aboard, including mental health issues and suicide attempts among the crew during the extended mission.

Martha Clark, a resident of San Diego since the 1980s, expressed her admiration as she waited to greet the carrier. ‘They’ve had quite a tour, and deserve this welcome home,’ she said. Along the route, both supporters and anti-war activists gathered along Shelter Island Drive to watch as the carrier approached its home port, with one protest sign reading, ‘Welcome home. You deserve better.’

As the ship neared the dock, dozens of sailors stood on the deck, while families eagerly awaited, carrying flowers, balloons, and ringing cowbells to celebrate the return of their loved ones. Among the crew members who would disembark were 64 fathers meeting their infants for the first time. Kathy Monterrosa, whose husband is returning after the deployment, shared her joy holding her six-month-old daughter in a sailor dress. ‘She’s our deployment baby,’ Monterrosa said.

Alma Solano Velez shared how her husband communicated his cravings for familiar food and the anticipation of seeing their daughter, who celebrated her fourth birthday during his absence.

The carrier attracted national attention due to reports of stress and supply shortages among its crew, leading the Navy to acknowledge that while food supplies were deemed adequate, meal options fell to one instead of two meals at times due to limited resupply opportunities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth flew out to the carrier and presented the crew with the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor for military units, typically given for significant achievements in combat. The USS Lincoln and its strike group were credited with numerous combat tasks, including delivering over a million pounds of ordnance and shooting down drones.

Hegseth dismissed claims that the USS Lincoln symbolized dysfunction or low morale, highlighting the crew’s resilience and adaptability. Following the Lincoln’s return, the USS George Washington, usually stationed in Asia, took over its duties in the Middle East in August. Derek Copenhaven, a Navy corpsman and protester present during the carrier’s return, emphasized the importance of acknowledging the crew’s hardships during their extended deployment.

The USS Lincoln has now set a record for days at sea without a port visit, and this is the second aircraft carrier to experience such an extensive deployment in support of the Iran conflict, earning a presidential citation. Previously, the USS Gerald R. Ford held the record for the longest deployment in the past 50 years, but it had fewer uninterrupted days at sea compared to Lincoln’s record.

This report is updated as of 1:30 p.m. on October 8, 2026.