Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presented a Presidential Unit Citation to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group on Wednesday as the carrier returned to the United States after an extended Middle East deployment, according to The Hill. The Washington Examiner reported that Hegseth traveled to San Diego and that sailors and Marines were expected at Naval Station San Diego on Thursday.
The Hill described the citation as the highest unit award and said Hegseth credited the group’s support for U.S. operations against Iran. The Washington Examiner said the group led U.S. military actions in the Iran war. Accounts differed on the deployment’s length: the Guardian said the carrier had spent more than 260 consecutive days at sea without a port call, while the Examiner reported more than 300 days overseas. The Guardian said Hegseth told personnel the deployment had not been easy.