Buses transporting crew members of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arrived in the coastal city of Pattaya, Thailand, on Thursday for a scheduled port call following an extensive deployment to the Middle East. The aircraft carrier had been involved in operations related to the U.S. conflict with Iran and had set a new record of more than 260 consecutive days at sea, raising concerns about crew mental health and food supply shortages onboard.
Despite reports of challenges, the U.S. Navy downplayed any issues, with President Donald Trump expressing that the deployment duration was insufficient. The USS Abraham Lincoln had spent a total of 286 days deployed, with 264 consecutive days at sea before reaching Chonburi province.
Following its visit in Thailand, the ship is set to depart over the weekend to continue its journey back to the United States. Service members expressed excitement upon arrival in Thailand, with vendors and travel agents awaiting them near the Hard Rock Hotel, the designated meeting point for crew members.
Nearby, two other ships from the USS Abraham Lincoln’s strike group were stationed, with the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. at Sriracha port and the cruiser USS Robert Smalls in Rayong province. Local vendors, like A-ngoon Sombat, traveled long distances to offer goods to the visiting crew members.
As service members explored Pattaya during their visit, a sense of high morale was noted among the crew. Amid the excitement, Keith Eldridge, an American resident in Thailand, expressed awe at witnessing the massive engineering feat of the USS Abraham Lincoln.
The commanding officer of the ship, Capt. Dan Keeler, mentioned that the vessel would soon head back home, possibly making additional stops for supplies. However, the exact return date of the strike group to the United States was not disclosed.
