Buses carrying crew members of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arrived in Thailand’s seaside resort city Pattaya on Thursday during a port call following an extensive deployment to the Middle East.
The Lincoln supported the U.S. war against Iran, and its deployment included a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea exceeding 260 days. Concerns arose last month regarding deteriorating mental health among the crew and shortages of essential food supplies during this lengthy deployment.
The Navy minimized reports of any issues, while President Donald Trump stated that the deployment was “not nearly long enough.”
According to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, the ship has been deployed for a total of 286 days. Its uninterrupted time at sea before arriving in Chonburi province on Wednesday totaled 264 days.
The vessel is scheduled to leave Thailand this weekend and resume its journey back to the United States.
After disembarking from buses loaded with luggage, several service members told The Associated Press they were pleased to be in Thailand. One sailor described the lengthy deployment as “alright” but would not elaborate further.
Vendors and travel agents assembled outside the Hard Rock Hotel, which served as the designated pickup and drop-off point for troops traveling from the Lincoln, docked nearby at Laem Chabang port.
They approached service members upon arrival, offering various souvenirs and services. Many sailors waved them away while waiting for transportation.
Two other ships from the Lincoln’s strike group are stationed elsewhere in Thailand: the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. is at Sriracha port in Chonburi, and the cruiser USS Robert Smalls is in Map Ta Phut, Rayong province.
A-ngoon Sombat traveled 200 kilometers between Pattaya and Ayutthaya province to sell colorful braided bracelets to the visiting crew, a practice she maintains whenever a U.S. ship calls at Chonburi province.
She set up near the hotel entrance and made some sales but remains uncertain about this week's business prospects.
“There are many vendors around. It’s really up to how lucky each of us are,” she stated.
Small Crowd Gathers to View Lincoln
A location just outside Laem Chabang port became a minor attraction by Wednesday evening as people gathered to see the Lincoln.
Individuals arrived by car and motorcycle to view the ship through a mesh fence, which is approximately the length of three American football fields. They took photographs and videos, engaging in excited conversations with strangers about their chance to observe the vessel.
American Keith Eldridge, who has resided in Thailand for five years, traveled from neighboring Chachoengsao province specifically to see the ship. He arrived too late to witness the Lincoln docking but found the viewing spot based on a recommendation from other enthusiasts he encountered en route.
He described seeing the “engineering marvel” as impressive.
“When you get to look at something so big, wrapped up with so much technology, the radars, the sonars, the weapon systems, the propulsion systems, it is truly amazing that we can build it, float it, and we fight from it,” he commented.
The Lincoln’s commanding officer, Capt. Dan Keeler, indicated the ship will return home soon but may make additional supply stops. He declined to provide a specific date for when the strike group is expected back in the U.S.