USS Abraham Lincoln Pulls into San Diego, Closing 321-Day Deployment
The US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln returned to her home port of San Diego, California, on October 8, concluding what became the second-longest deployment in the modern era, except for extended tours during the COVID-19 pandemic. The carrier also set a new record for the longest number of consecutive days at sea, 264 days, beating the 206 days for USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
It was the close of one of the longest, most challenging combat periods for the carrier. According to the Navy, Abraham Lincoln was engaged in 40 straight days of combat when the war with Iran began on February 28, followed by participation in the follow-on efforts and the blockade of Iranian shipping and ports.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth flew to the carrier on Wednesday to recognize the efforts of the approximately 5,000 sailors. The air wing had already departed the carrier for its return to base. He issued the Presidential Unit Citation to the carrier group.
The Navy reports the strike group conducted 3,693 combat sorties and delivered 1.37 million pounds of ordnance during the campaign. It also launched 450 cruise missiles. A total of 77 one-way attack drones fired by Iran were reported to have been shot down, along with 21 anti-ship cruise missiles that were destroyed. The strike group sank 64 Iranian warships according to the Navy and defended against four fast-attack boats and explosive-carrying wooden dhows.
The carrier had deployed on November 21, 2025, and made a port stop in Guam as it was crossing the Pacific. It would not arrive in Thailand until September 2 and, after a brief stop, proceeded to Guam before its return to California. At 321 days, it is just five days shy of the mark set by USS Gerald R. Ford, which was deployed for 326 days, the longest in the post-Vietnam War era, before returning to Virginia in May.
USS Abraham Lincoln was replaced in the Middle East by USS George Washington, which is operating alongside USS George H.W. Bush. USS Theodore Roosevelt is expected in the region at the end of this month.
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Hegseth asserted the deployment was carried out without a single aircraft mishap. The U.S. Navy, however, previously confirmed that eight sailors in the carrier group attempted suicide during the long deployment. Families had expressed concerns to the Navy during the summer as reports came in about stress from the long combat deployment without a break and the living conditions aboard the carrier.
The Navy reported USS Abraham Lincoln had previously been deployed for 294 days in 2019-2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also was deployed for 290 days between July 2002 and May 2003 during the lead-up to and during the Iraq War.
