USS Abraham Lincoln home after record 321-day depl...

Summary

• After a record 321 days away, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier sailed back into San Diego on Thursday, having taken part in the war on Iran.
• The strike group, he told sailors, had achieved what “no other carrier strike group has ever done.”Hegseth also rejected what he called efforts to paint the USS Abraham Lincoln as “a symbol of dysfunction.” He dismissed claims of low morale too.
• USS Abraham Lincoln returns as Iran options growThe return comes as the Pentagon readies fresh options against Iran.

AI Generated Summary

After a record 321 days away, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier sailed back into San Diego on Thursday, having taken part in the war on Iran.

The carrier docked at Naval Air Station North Island, its home port. During the deployment, it spent 265 days in a row at sea without stopping at any port, setting a new Navy record.

Hegseth honours the crew

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded the ship at sea on Wednesday. He gave the crew the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honour for a military unit, recognising their role in Operation Epic Fury. The strike group, he told sailors, had achieved what “no other carrier strike group has ever done.”