Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-08 · by Julie Watson And John Seewer The Associated Press
The USS Abraham Lincoln is returning to San Diego after a 265-day deployment supporting operations related to the conflict with Iran. During this deployment, which set a record for continuous time at sea without port calls, reports emerged about deteriorating conditions among the crew, including supply shortages and mental health issues. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the ship before its return to present the crew with the Presidential Unit Citation and emphasized their resilience despite challenges, countering claims of dysfunction or low morale.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On October 7, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the USS Abraham Lincoln before its return to San Diego after a record-breaking deployment of 265 days at sea, primarily in support of operations against Iran. He awarded the crew the Presidential Unit Citation, acknowledging their significant achievement and resilience despite facing challenges like supply shortages and mental health issues among some sailors. The Lincoln's deployment was one of the longest since the Cold War, following reports of eight suicide attempts by US sailors during its time at sea. Hegseth highlighted that the ship executed 3,693 combat sorties and dropped over a million pounds of ordnance on Iranian targets, downplaying media criticism about crew morale and conditions aboard the carrier.
Written for “USS Lincoln Deployment Homecoming” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but 1 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 2 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 65153: no verified evidence · logged 2026-10-08
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The USS Abraham Lincoln is returning home to San Diego Thursday after supporting the Iran war during a record long deployment of 265 uninterrupted days at sea that included reports of deteriorating conditions among its crew.
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that → return → crew
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth flew out to the carrier on Wednesday to give the crew the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor a unit can receive that is typically reserved for significant achievement in combat.
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that → fly → combat
Hegseth pushed back against what he said were efforts to turn the “Lincoln into some sort of a symbol, a symbol of dysfunction or a symbol of low morale or a symbol of a failed mission.”
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he → push → mission
He said that “what makes the U.S. military and the U.S. Navy and all these sailors different is that you adapt and that you’re resilient and you overcome — you finish the mission nonetheless.”
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you → say → mission
Hegseth told the crew that President Donald Trump “tracked your activities from day one and couldn’t be more proud of what you executed.”
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you → tell → what
The Navy initially downplayed problems on the carrier
The carrier drew national attention following reports of stress among the crew and poor mental health, as well as supply shortages, including food and hygiene products, during its Iran war mission.
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carrier → downplay → mission
The Navy initially downplayed any problems, and Trump commented in August that the Lincoln’s lengthy deployment was “not nearly long enough.”
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deployment → downplay → August
The carrier had left San Diego in November and arrived in the Middle East in January.
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carrier → leave → January
U.S. and Israeli forces launched airstrikes against Iran on Feb. 28.
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forces → launch → Feb.
Navy leaders, however, eventually acknowledged there were some issues aboard.
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leaders → acknowledge → ?
In August, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said the Lincoln maintained adequate food supplies, but because combat operations limited resupply opportunities, meal options were reduced from two to one for a short time.
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options → act → time
He said in a letter to a Democratic lawmaker seeking information that four nutritionally balanced meals were served daily.
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meals → say → information
After more than 10 months at sea, the Lincoln’s crew got a stop in Thailand early last month on the way back from the Middle East.
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crew → get → East
Long deployments can tax service members
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deployments → tax → members
Extended naval deployments can wear on service members who are away from home for long periods and increase strain on the ship and its equipment.
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who → wear → ship
The Navy told lawmakers that eight sailors attempted suicide during the record-setting deployment, though experts say that number is low in a strike group of 6,000 sailors over 10 months.
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number → tell → months
According to the citation that Hegseth read to the crew, the Lincoln and its strike group executed 3,693 combat missions, delivered 1.37 million pounds of ordnance, launched 450 Tomahawk cruise missiles, shot down 77 one-way attack drones, sank 64 Iranian warships, destroyed 21 anti-ship cruise missiles and defended against four fast-attack craft and explosive-carrying ships.
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Lincoln → accord → craft
The Lincoln, which set a record for days in between ports of call, is the second carrier to endure an unusually long deployment to support the war against Iran and to receive the Presidential Unit Citation afterward.
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which → set → Citation
Hegseth in May met the crew of the USS Gerald R. Ford during its return from a 326-day deployment — the longest for an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years and a record in the post-Vietnam War era.
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Hegseth → meet → era
Another carrier, the usually Asia-based USS George Washington, relieved the Lincoln in the Middle East in August.
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carrier → base → August
Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.
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Seewer → report → Toledo
The Aporia
