The long-deployed USS Lincoln is returning home to San Diego

Coronado, California - The USS Abraham Lincoln is set to return to San Diego Bay on Thursday after an unprecedented 265-day deployment at sea, during which the carrier supported the Iran war effort. The long deployment was marked by reports of crew members experiencing deteriorating conditions, raising concerns about their mental health and well-being.

In response to these issues, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the carrier on Wednesday to bestow the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor bestowed upon a unit, typically reserved for exceptional combat achievements. Despite the challenges faced by the crew, Hegseth dismissed claims that the Lincoln had become a symbol of dysfunction, low morale, or a failed mission.

The carrier had garnered national attention for its crew's struggles, including supply shortages such as food and hygiene products. To mark the occasion, families of the crew had already arrived at the naval base in Coronado, eagerly awaiting their loved ones' return. Upon docking, the first group to board the ship will be 64 fathers meeting their children for the first time since the lengthy deployment.