After a 322-day deployment — including 265 consecutive days at sea, an unprecedented figure — the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln returned to its home port at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California, on Thursday. The crew was welcomed by family and friends at the pier.
"It feels amazing," Abel Ramirez, 20, told the Associated Press, saying his parents had driven from Texas to meet him. "There was a point where I didn't think I was going to get off the ship."
The USS Lincoln's record-long voyage has become a symbol of broader criticism of the U.S. war effort, which has stretched on since February without a clear end in sight and is straining the country's military stockpiles.
The extended deployment has fueled a wave of reports about deteriorating living conditions, food shortages and suicides recorded among the crew. The U.S. Navy previously confirmed eight suicides aboard the USS Lincoln.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday praised the sailors while accusing the media of trying to turn the ship into "a symbol of dysfunction, of low morale, or of a failed mission."
President Donald Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly criticized the media over articles faulting the war against Iran. Trump has called reports about the USS Lincoln "fake news."
"The Lincoln has been out there for a while, a long period of time," he said at a meeting in the Oval Office on Aug. 17. "I know the people on the Lincoln, and they say the ship is very well maintained and very well taken care of."
Earlier that month, asked about the USS Lincoln's time at sea without a port call, Trump remarked that the deployment "hasn't been long enough."
Reports of psychological strain aboard the USS Lincoln emerged as polling shows low support among American voters for the war against Iran. On Thursday, the Pew Research Center published a survey showing that 65% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the war, compared with 33% who approve.
The war has also heightened concerns about the cost of living ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Since the conflict began, Iran has disrupted commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for shipping fuel, fertilizer and other goods.
Sailors returning aboard the USS Lincoln said they looked forward to fresh meals and time with their families. Alma Solano Velez recounted that her husband, one of the service members on the ship, had shared a list of dishes he craved during the 10-month deployment, including oxtail, barbecue grilled chicken, broccoli and shrimp-filled empanadas. She said he also mentioned "the lack of food and water for showers" and was eager to see their four-year-old daughter.
