USS Abraham Lincoln returns to San Diego after 321 days, controversy over on-board conditions
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Set us as preferred The USS Abraham Lincoln docked in San Diego on Thursday, bringing dances of joy from the homebound sailors, praise for the crew’s extended service and questions about the poor conditions they endured during the record length of time the ship was away from port supporting the Iran war.Scores of new fathers kissed their babies for the first time, couples cried and embraced and hundreds of parents let out a collective sigh of relief as the crew disembarked on the north end of the Coronado peninsula.The ship departed from Southern California last November and was rerouted to the Middle East after the U.S.
led attacks on Iran in February.Crew members have been away from their families for 321 days and set a modern record for 265 consecutive days at sea without a port visit.
The exceptionally long deployment has drawn concern over reports of deteriorating conditions on board as crew members became emblems of the sacrifices made by Americans to sustain President Trump’s conflict with Iran.This summer, news reports revealed that multiple sailors had attempted to jump overboard amid shortages of fresh food, disruptions to hot water and laundry services and exhaustion.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao then told Congress that at least eight strike team members had attempted suicide during the deployment.When asked Thursday about the toll on sailors, Commanding Officer Daniel J.Keeler said that everything crew members went through was “in the normal spectrum of what you might expect you see on an aircraft carrier.”“I had all the supplies I needed to conduct combat,” he said.
“We never missed a mission.I also never missed a meal.”He said the ship deployed with five chaplains and a well-staffed mental health team.
“We got our sailors any care they needed and got them back in the fight when it was app...