Hegseth awards USS Abraham Lincoln crew after record deployment
publishers 33articles 40first reported 6 Oct, 19:21 UTCdeveloping since 7 Oct · 12 editions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presented the Presidential Unit Citation to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group on Wednesday as the aircraft carrier prepared to return to San Diego after an extended deployment supporting U.S. operations against Iran.
Hegseth said the award, the highest honor bestowed on a military unit, recognized the group’s “40 days of combat operations and an ironclad maritime blockade against Iran” during Operation Epic Fury. He told the crew that the deployment “wasn’t easy” and acknowledged signing two orders extending it.
The Lincoln left San Diego in November 2025 and was redirected from the Pacific to the Middle East. The carrier spent a record 265 consecutive days at sea before stopping in Thailand in September, according to The Associated Press, and was due to arrive at its home port on Thursday after more than 10 months deployed.
Reports during the deployment described shortages of food and hygiene supplies, along with stress and deteriorating mental health among some of the roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard. Navy leaders acknowledged that combat operations limited resupply opportunities and temporarily reduced meal options, while maintaining that the crew received adequate nutrition.
Hegseth criticized portrayals of the deployment as evidence of dysfunction, low morale or mission failure. He praised the crew’s resilience and said President Donald Trump had followed its activities and was proud of its performance.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 7 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 42 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 33
- Source articles
- 40
- Given to the writer
- 8, 3 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 7
- This version written
- 42 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →