Brief
Defense Secretary Hegseth awards USS Abraham Lincoln top unit citation before home port return
The carrier received the award for 40 days of combat operations and a maritime blockade against Iran, concluding a 265‑day deployment.
By Felo News Desk · Published
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on Wednesday to present the Presidential Unit Citation, the service’s highest unit award, a day before the ship docks in San Diego.
Hegseth said the citation recognized “40 days of combat operations and an ironclad maritime blockade against Iran in support of Operation Epic Fury,” the Trump administration’s code name for the conflict. The carrier completed a record‑long 265‑day deployment, departing San Diego in late November, arriving in the Middle East in January and returning via a stop in Thailand earlier this month.
The award ceremony came after reports of crew stress, mental‑health concerns and supply shortages aboard the Lincoln. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao later acknowledged that combat operations limited resupply, reducing meal options from two to one. Earlier, the Navy had downplayed supply‑issue reports, while President Donald Trump reportedly said the deployment was “not nearly long enough.”
Hegseth told the crew, “I’m the only thing standing between you and home,” and added that once the ship pulls into dock, “we’re getting out of the way.” He also quoted President Trump as saying he had “tracked your activities from day one and couldn’t be more proud of what you executed.”
The Lincoln is the second carrier to receive the top unit award after an unusually long deployment supporting the Iran war, following the USS Gerald R. Ford’s 326‑day deployment earlier in May.
Key facts
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presented the Presidential Unit Citation to the USS Abraham Lincoln crew. (independent.co.uk)
- The citation honored 40 days of combat operations and a maritime blockade against Iran. (independent.co.uk)
- The carrier completed a 265‑day deployment, the longest in its recent history. (independent.co.uk)
- Crew reported stress, mental‑health issues and supply shortages during the deployment. (independent.co.uk)
- Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao confirmed reduced meal options due to limited resupply. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Hegseth visits the long-deployed USS Lincoln to bestow a top award before the ship returns home”
