By WorldSpokesperson International Desk
WASHINGTON — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has praised the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln after the aircraft carrier completed a lengthy deployment linked to the war with Iran.
Hegseth visited the nuclear-powered carrier as it headed back to San Diego. He praised the crew for what he described as an unprecedented combat mission.
The carrier strike group spent more than 260 days at sea during the deployment. It supported US military operations against Iran after the carrier moved from its planned Pacific mission to the Middle East.
Hegseth Cites Thousands of Combat Missions
Speaking to sailors aboard the carrier, Hegseth said the strike group completed about 10,000 sorties and 23,000 combat flight hours.
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He also cited almost 4,000 combat sorties during the mission. Hegseth said the group dropped about 1.5 million pounds of ordnance on enemy targets.
The defense secretary announced that the carrier strike group would receive the Presidential Unit Citation.
The award recognizes what Hegseth described as extraordinary heroism against enemy forces. He also said the group played a major role in the US campaign to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Hegseth Rejects Criticism of Crew Conditions
Hegseth also addressed criticism of the carrier’s long deployment.
Some media reports and military families had raised concerns about crew morale, food supplies and working conditions during the mission. Those concerns became more serious after the Navy confirmed eight suicide attempts among personnel assigned to the Lincoln carrier strike group.
The Navy said the eight cases involved personnel across the carrier strike group. No suicide deaths occurred aboard the ships, according to the Navy’s disclosure.
Hegseth rejected the portrayal of the Lincoln as a symbol of poor morale or a failed mission.
He said some media reports had presented the carrier in that way. Hegseth instead described the deployment as a major military achievement and called for pride in the crew’s performance.
Carrier Returns After Extended Mission
The USS Abraham Lincoln left California in November 2025 for a planned mission in the South China Sea.
The carrier later moved toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalated. It then took part in US military operations against Iranian targets.
After months at sea, the carrier made a port call in Thailand in early September. The USS George Washington later took over its role in the region.
The Lincoln’s extended deployment has become a focus of debate over the demands placed on US military personnel during prolonged combat operations.
