The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln pulled into its homeport at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego on Thursday, concluding a deployment of 322 days that set modern records for time at sea.

The ship and its strike group departed San Diego on November 21, 2025, initially heading to the Indo-Pacific before redirection to the Middle East. The deployment supported Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. campaign against Iran that began February 28.

Crew members received the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest unit award for valor, during a visit by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The citation recognized 3,693 combat flights, the launch of 450 Tomahawk missiles, the downing of 77 attack drones, and the sinking of 64 Iranian warships.

The deployment included more than 200 days in a combat zone and a record 265 consecutive days without a port call. The carrier strike group enforced a maritime blockade and conducted sustained operations against Iranian targets.

Thousands of family members greeted the crew upon arrival. The return marks the end of one of the longest carrier deployments since the Vietnam War era, just short of the record set earlier this year by the USS Gerald R. Ford.

Navy officials noted challenges including supply constraints during extended combat, yet the crew maintained operational effectiveness throughout the mission.