USS Abraham Lincoln reaches Thailand after months at sea

The USS Abraham Lincoln docked in eastern Thailand on Wednesday, giving thousands of sailors and Marines their first full port stop after more than nine months at sea and a demanding Middle East deployment that has drawn concern from some families over conditions aboard the aircraft carrier.

The carrier, with about 5,000 service members aboard, entered Laem Chabang port in Chonburi province shortly after the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. sailed past the area. The U.S. Embassy said the Lincoln’s strike group arrived in Laem Chabang, while the Petersen docked at nearby Sriracha and the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls was in Map Ta Phut in neighboring Rayong province.

The embassy said the visit was the Lincoln’s first full port stop after 286 days at sea from the start of its 2025 deployment. Al Jazeera reported that the nuclear-powered carrier had been anchoring U.S. naval blockade and combat operations during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. CBS News reported that the Lincoln had been supporting the U.S. war against Iran.

By Wednesday afternoon, busloads of plainclothes sailors and Marines had reached a resort hotel in Pattaya, the coastal city southeast of Bangkok where many crew members were expected to spend leave. Thai officials have said the stop is for rest and recovery before the ship returns to its U.S. base. Pattaya officials welcomed the visit and said it could boost the local economy, while authorities said they were increasing security to help ensure a smooth stay.

Crew members were not immediately available to speak with journalists. The ship showed signs of its long deployment, with large blotches that appeared to be rust along the hull, especially above the waterline and near the edge of the flight deck, where fighter aircraft and helicopters were parked.

Asked about the carrier’s appearance, Capt. Dan Keeler, the Lincoln’s commanding officer, said, “It is normal for a long deployment and we’re not going to make further comments.”

Keeler also addressed President Donald Trump’s earlier remark that the Lincoln’s record-setting deployment was “not nearly long enough.” Asked for his thoughts, Keeler said, “So, the president speaks for himself. That is what I think about that.”

Reports of low morale, deteriorating mental health and shortages of supplies including food and hygiene products have followed the ship’s extended time at sea. Jefferson Kelley, whose son Jackson was on the Lincoln on his first deployment, previously told CBS News that families were worried.

“They should not be deployed this long,” Kelley said. “These are old ships. It’s not like they’re even state-of-the-art. And they take a lot of maintenance, a lot of work. It’s around the clock.”

The Lincoln was relieved in the Middle East in August by the USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier usually based in Asia.

Some families traveled to Thailand to reunite with crew members. Shakeira Fairfax, of Paterson, New Jersey, came to meet her daughter Jada, an entry-level seaman who shipped out for the deployment in mid-November after completing basic training in October.

“I’m excited. I’m so full of emotion. I can’t wait to hold her. I can’t wait to snuggle up next to her,” Fairfax said outside a Pattaya hotel where crew members were expected to stay.

Fairfax said she was especially worried after the U.S. launched its initial attack on Iran at the end of February and she could not reach her daughter for a time. “It was an uncertain time. It was a scary time. It was difficult — definitely difficult,” she said.

She said her daughter sometimes turned to her when morale aboard the ship was low. “I asked, ‘What can I do? What can I do?’ She said, ‘Just tell me old stories,’” Fairfax said. “Being able to share stories, laugh and look at photographs — to take that walk down memory lane — was really nice.”