By Isabella McHugh
Nation & World Editor
The USS Abraham Lincoln returned to San Diego for the first time in 321 days on Oct. 8, CBS News reported. Hundreds of family members waited by the harbor to greet their loved ones as the vessel pulled in.
Over 4,500 sailors and Marines came home. CBS reported cheers erupting from the pier, and sailors began calling their loved ones.
“Ten and a half months is a significant amount of time away from home. The mission required that sacrifice, but it does not make up for missed birthdays, anniversaries and other important family milestones,” Lt. Cmdr. Tyler Barker, USS Abraham Lincoln’s public affairs officer, said at a news conference, The Military Times reported.
Sailor Brent Ledbetter, an air traffic control center officer, was excited to see his son for the first time. Ledbetter’s son was born shortly after the USS Abraham Lincoln’s Nov. 21, 2025 departure.
“I just want to hold him, play with him,” Ledbetter said to NBC News. Ledbetter was only one of many new dads who got to meet their babies after their deployment supporting the Iran war.
Alex Adkins was on the USS Abraham Lincoln, and video called in when his wife, Mackenzie gave birth about 10 weeks prior to their return.
“I'm feeling a little bit of everything. I'm excited above all else, just so ready to have my husband back, to have him finally meet his son,” she said to KFMB. Adkins expressed extreme happiness at her husband’s return after they expected him to come back many times before.
The reunions were deeply emotional. Family members described losing sleep after hearing about shortages in supplies and “deteriorating mental health among the crew” during their deployment, according to The Associated Press.
The Navy had initially downplayed the issues occurring during deployment. Another major issue was the plumbing. Capt. Daniel Keeler, the ship’s commanding officer, said that the USS Abraham Lincoln is “a floating city as you can see and at any moment there might be a clogged toilet.”
The USS Abraham Lincoln was meant to be deployed for six months, but was extended twice, The Military Times reported.
Donald Trump said in August that the already lengthy deployment was “not nearly long enough.” Eventually, Navy leaders addressed issues that were occurring.
Many people said they could only communicate with loved ones via email or infrequent WhatsApp calls.
14-year-old Cassity Garduque described seeing her mom as “really overwhelming.” She said that her mom had to miss most of her seventh grade year and her birthday.
The USS Abraham Lincoln was part of Carrier Strike Group 3, which became a central facet during 40 days of large combat operations, The U.S. Department of War reported. The USS Lincoln also aided in taking down Iranian drones, and enforcing a maritime blockade following the April ceasefire.
The USS Gerald R. Ford returned in May 2026, and it was the longest aircraft carrier in the past 50 years after being deployed 326 days. The USS Abraham Lincoln was just four days short of that.
