The USS Abraham Lincoln, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier carrying 5,000 sailors and Marines, has arrived at a Thai port for its first shore leave in nine months following an extended deployment to the Middle East.
The USS Abraham Lincoln pulled into Laem Chabang port near Pattaya, Thailand on Wednesday morning after an extended deployment that lasted between 270 and 286 days at sea, according to different accounts. The vessel had originally departed California in November 2025 for operations in the South China Sea before being redirected to the Middle East amid US-Israeli military actions against Iran that commenced six months ago.
The arrival marks a significant break for the 5,000-member crew, which has faced scrutiny over reported deteriorating conditions aboard the carrier. Reports of food shortages, plumbing failures, and mental health crises—including attempted self-harm—prompted Democratic lawmakers to call for an investigation. The acting Navy Secretary acknowledged that "a small number of mental health cases were treated with no loss of life," while the Trump administration dismissed concerns about the deployment's length and the ship's conditions.
Pattaya, chosen as the crew's rest-and-recreation destination, has prepared heightened security measures and arranged shuttle buses to transport sailors into the resort city until the carrier departs on Sunday. Local authorities have implemented precautions, banning sailors from water sports and cannabis use while emphasizing fair pricing and safety. The mayor stated that 25 women were arrested for soliciting near the beachfront the week before the ship's arrival, though he denied this was connected to the US military visit. The port city has served as a liberty destination for American troops since the Vietnam War.
The Lincoln will be replaced in the Middle East by the USS George Washington, which sailed from Japan, as the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran continues to necessitate sustained American naval presence in the Arabian Sea for strike capabilities and naval blockade enforcement.