Hegseth visits the long-deployed USS Lincoln to bestow a top award before the ship returns home, tell me about this news today

Pete Hegseth Honors USS Abraham Lincoln Crew with Presidential Unit Citation Ahead of San Diego Return

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) to present its crew and carrier strike group with the prestigious Presidential Unit Citation just before the ship completes its return to its home port in San Diego. The recognition honors the carrier strike group’s extensive combat and maritime operations during its record-breaking, grueling deployment.

Key Highlights of the Visit and Award

• Presidential Unit Citation Bestowed: Hegseth awarded the crew the nation’s highest unit-level military decoration, reserved for extraordinary heroism and collective achievement in combat against an armed enemy. The award recognized the Lincoln Strike Group’s continuous combat sorties and enforcement of maritime blockades during operations in the Middle East.

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• Record Deployment at Sea: The aircraft carrier endured a grueling deployment lasting over ten months, including an unbroken stretch of approximately 265 consecutive days underway without standard port calls, making it one of the longest continuous carrier deployments in modern U.S. naval history.

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• Addressing Conditions and Resilience: During his address, Hegseth commended the sailors and naval aviators for their endurance and resilience, acknowledging the physical and mental strain caused by multiple deployment extensions, challenging shipboard conditions, and prolonged separation from family.

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• Relief and Strategic Presence: The USS Abraham Lincoln was relieved on station in the region by the USS George Washington and the USS George H.W. Bush before initiating its journey home across the Pacific.