USS Lincoln returns to US after long deployment supporting war on Iran

Crew members express relief upon return from record-breaking deployment of 265 days that strained conditions on board.

Sailors disembark the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California, on October 8, 2026 [David Swanson/AFP]

The United States aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has returned to its home port after a 322-day deployment, including a record 265 consecutive days at sea, during which it helped wage the US-Israel war on Iran.

The vessel returned to Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California, on Thursday, where members of its crew were greeted by family and friends.

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“It feels amazing,” 20-year-old Abel Ramirez told The Associated Press news agency, adding that his parents had driven from Texas to meet him. “There was a certain point when I never thought I would come off.”

The record-setting deployment of the USS Lincoln became a symbol for larger criticisms of the US war effort, which has dragged on since February with no clear end in sight and has strained US military stockpiles.

The prolonged deployment prompted a series of news reports calling attention to deteriorating conditions, food shortages and a series of reported suicide attempts by crew members.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth praised the sailors on Wednesday in remarks that accused the media of trying to turn the ship into “a symbol of dysfunction or a symbol of low morale or a symbol of a failed mission”.

President Donald Trump and members of his administration have frequently lashed out at the news media for critical reporting on the war on Iran. Trump himself has called the reporting about the USS Lincoln “fake news”.

“The Lincoln has been out there for a period of time, a good period of time,” he said at an Oval Office meeting on August 17. “I know people on the Lincoln, and they say it’s beautifully maintained and beautifully taken care of.”

Earlier that month, when confronted with the amount of time the USS Lincoln had spent at sea without a port stop, Trump quipped that its deployment was “ not nearly long enough “.

The reports of mental health strain on the USS Lincoln come as public opinion polls show low approval ratings among US voters for the war against Iran.

On Thursday, the Pew Research Center released a poll that found 65 percent of Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of the war, compared with 33 percent who approved.

The war has also fuelled concerns about the cost of living ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Since the war began, Iran has hindered commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for the trade of fuel, fertiliser and other goods.

Sailors returning home on the USS Lincoln said that they were looking forward to fresh meals and spending time with their families.

Alma Solano Velez said that her husband, one of the US service members on board, shared a list of foods he had been craving over his 10-month deployment: oxtail, barbecue chicken, broccoli and shrimp empanadas, among others.

She added that he had spoken about “the lack of food and showers” and was looking forward to seeing their four-year-old daughter.

船员们结束了创纪录的 265 天部署任务返回船上，船上条件十分紧张，他们对此表示如释重负。

2026年10月8日，水兵们从位于加利福尼亚州圣地亚哥北岛海军航空站的“亚伯拉罕·林肯”号航空母舰上下来。[David Swanson/AFP]

美国航空母舰“亚伯拉罕·林肯”号在结束了为期 322 天的部署后返回母港，其中包括创纪录的连续 265 天海上航行，在此期间，它参与了美国和以色列对伊朗的战争。

周四，这艘军舰返回位于加利福尼亚州圣地亚哥的北岛海军航空站，船员们受到了家人和朋友的迎接。

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“感觉太棒了，”20岁的阿贝尔·拉米雷斯告诉美联社，并补充说他的父母从德克萨斯州开车来接他。“我一度以为自己永远也下不来了。”

“林肯”号航空母舰创纪录的部署成为对美国战争努力的更大批评的象征，这场战争自2月份以来一直持续，看不到明确的结束迹象，并且已经使美国的军事储备捉襟见肘。

长期部署引发了一系列新闻报道，这些报道关注到条件恶化、食物短缺以及一系列船员自杀未遂事件。

五角大楼负责人皮特·赫格塞斯周三发表讲话，赞扬了这些水兵，并指责媒体试图将这艘军舰变成“功能失调的象征、士气低落的象征或任务失败的象征”。

唐纳德·特朗普总统及其政府成员经常抨击新闻媒体对伊朗战争的批评性报道。特朗普本人甚至称有关“林肯”号航母事件的报道是“假新闻”。

“林肯号已经停放在那里一段时间了，相当长一段时间了，”他在8月17日椭圆形办公室的一次会议上说。“我认识一些住在林肯号上的人，他们说它维护得很好，保养得也很好。”

当月早些时候，当被问及“林肯”号航空母舰在海上航行的时间过长而未停靠港口时，特朗普打趣说，它的部署时间“远远不够长”。

林肯号航空母舰上出现精神健康问题的报道出现之际，民意调查显示，美国选民对伊朗战争的支持率很低。

周四，皮尤研究中心公布的一项民意调查显示，65%的美国人不赞成特朗普对战争的处理方式，而赞成的人仅占33%。

这场战争也加剧了人们对即将到来的中期选举前生活成本的担忧。自战争爆发以来，伊朗一直阻碍霍尔木兹海峡的商业交通，而霍尔木兹海峡是燃料、化肥和其他商品贸易的关键水道。

乘坐“林肯”号航空母舰返回家乡的水兵们表示，他们期待着吃到新鲜的饭菜，并与家人共度时光。

阿尔玛·索拉诺·维莱兹说，她的丈夫是船上的一名美国军人，他列出了一份他在 10 个月的部署期间一直想吃的食物清单：牛尾、烤鸡、西兰花和虾肉馅饼等等。

她补充说，他谈到了“食物和洗澡的匮乏”，并期待着见到他们四岁的女儿。