USS Abraham Lincoln docks in Thailand after eight-month Middle East deployment
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived at Laem Chabang, Thailand, ending an eight-month combat deployment in the Middle East that raised concerns over crew welfare and supply shortages.
The 100,000-ton carrier USS Abraham Lincoln pulled into the Laem Chabang port near Pattaya on Wednesday, marking its first stop since departing San Diego in November. The ship, which has been on one of the longest U.S. Navy deployments in history, arrived with visible rust on its hull after months of combat and blockade duty in the Middle East.
Capt. Dan Keeler, the vessel’s commanding officer, said the crew was "very excited to make Thailand the first port visit on our historic deployment." Senator Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Armed Services Committee, has written to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the acting Navy secretary expressing "serious concern" about the length of deployments and reported shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing problems, and mental-health issues aboard the carrier.
"There have been widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in the mail system," the senator wrote.
Hegseth responded that conditions on the Lincoln had been "completely misrepresented," while President Donald Trump dismissed the concerns, stating the deployment was "not nearly long enough."
The Pentagon subsequently dispatched the carrier USS George Washington from Japan to replace the Lincoln in the Middle East, maintaining a two-carrier presence alongside USS George H.W. Bush. Admiral Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations, acknowledged the strain of extended deployments on sailors and their families, saying the Navy would seek more predictable deployment schedules but that operational demands could limit flexibility.
"I would prefer, you know, seven-month deployments. I typically am not a big fan of extensions, and I push back hard on that. But the enemy gets a vote," Caudle told reporters.
The Lincoln is accompanied in Thailand by the guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. and the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls. Local officials, including Pattaya City Mayor Poramet Ngampichet, expressed optimism that the visit would benefit the regional economy.
"For Pattaya to be seen as an important vacation spot is something that we have aimed for. We welcome more visits of the troops in the future," he said.
Thai authorities have also announced a crackdown on illegal prostitution ahead of the carrier’s arrival, and have reminded U.S. personnel of restrictions on visiting cannabis dispensaries and participating in certain watersports.