Pentagon chief visits carrier after tough Iran war deployment

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the USS Abraham Lincoln on Wednesday to commend the crew after their return from a challenging Iran war deployment. The USS Abraham Lincoln, a massive nuclear-powered warship, had been deployed to the South China Sea and later rerouted to the Middle East following US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February.

It remained at sea until early September, when it conducted a port call in Thailand. Hegseth highlighted the extraordinary heroism displayed by the service members aboard the Lincoln, citing 10,000 sorties, 23,000 combat flight hours, and almost 4,000 combat sorties. He also announced the award of a presidential unit citation to the strike group, praising their performance despite the difficulties they faced.

However, the lengthy deployment had taken a toll on the ship's personnel, with reports of suicide attempts and food shortages surfacing. President Donald Trump initially dismissed these concerns, but Hegseth emphasized that the media's portrayal of the situation had been misrepresented. He stressed that the appropriate reaction from the American public and media should be pride in the service members' achievements.

In August, military families and lawmakers had raised alarms about the issues faced by the crew, including suicide attempts and food shortages. One sailor had gone overboard in early August and was recovered quickly, while another attempted to do the same in March and was stopped by his fellow sailors. While food supplies were adequate, limited resupply options during combat led to a reduction in the number of main entree options.

The Lincoln's deployment was longer than the typical six-month duration for carrier strike groups, which are usually designed to ensure sailor well-being. Other carrier strike groups, like the USS Gerald R. Ford, have also faced challenges during extended deployments, such as a fire in a laundry room and issues with the toilet system.