Article: USS Lincoln's Brief Thailand Respite
USS Lincoln's Brief Thailand Respite
PHOTO CAPTION: USS Abraham Lincoln arrives in Laem Chabang, Thailand, Sept. 2, 2026, for its first port call in 265 days. The carrier departed Thailand four days later and returned to operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area. (U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Gage Thomas)
After 265 days without a port call, sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln finally got a chance to step ashore in Thailand.
Then, just days later, the carrier and its strike group were back underway.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier arrived at Laem Chabang, Thailand, on Sept. 2. According to USNI News, it was Lincoln’s first port call since Dec. 11, 2025, when the carrier stopped in Guam before continuing its deployment through the Western Pacific and Middle East.
The stop came during an unusually long deployment for the carrier and its crew. By the time Lincoln reached Thailand, the strike group had already been deployed for roughly 285 days and was on track to finish one of the longest U.S. carrier deployments since the Vietnam War.
The Navy described the Thailand visit as a chance for the crew to rest and recharge after months of operations.
Nearly 5,000 sailors and Marines from across the strike group went ashore during the visit. Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation personnel worked with local businesses to organize tours and activities around Pattaya and the surrounding area.
The carrier’s deployment had included nearly seven months operating in the U.S. Central Command area, where Lincoln and other Navy and Marine Corps forces took part in combat operations during Operation Epic Fury.
Capt. Dan Keeler, Lincoln’s commanding officer, called the Thailand visit a chance for the crew to recharge and thanked the country for hosting the strike group.
But the break did not last long.
USS Abraham Lincoln and the rest of the carrier strike group departed Thailand on Sept. 6 and returned to operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area.
For the crew, the stop marked the end of a 265-day stretch between port calls — followed by only a few days ashore before the carrier was underway again.
The strike group is expected to begin working its way back toward the United States as the deployment approaches its end.
For sailors who have spent months living aboard the carrier, even a short port visit can mean something much bigger than sightseeing. It means getting off the ship, sleeping somewhere different, eating somewhere different and getting a brief break from the routine of an exceptionally long deployment.
After 265 days between port calls, Lincoln’s crew finally got that break.
Then it was back to sea.
The key facts are supported by the Navy’s Sept. 6 departure announcement and USNI’s reporting on the 265-day gap between port calls. The Navy says nearly 5,000 sailors and Marines participated in the Thailand visit and that Lincoln returned to 7th Fleet operations after departing.
(Source: OAF Nation)
