USS Lincoln gets relief from record-smashing deployment with arrival of USS Washington

Ryan King / NEW YORK POST

WASHINGTON — The USS George Washington has arrived in the Arabian Sea to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln from the longest American naval deployment since the Cold War.

US Central Command confirmed that the Washington, which is typically based near Japan, arrived in the Middle East on Wednesday.

The Lincoln and its crew of 5,000 will now head home to San Diego after its grueling nearly nine-month deployment that saw reports of weary sailors attempting to jump overboard.

The nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier’s deployment had been extended multiple times because of the Iran war.

During the over 250-day deployment, sailors onboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier were forced to grapple with mental health challenges and dwindling supplies such as food and hygiene products.

The supply crunch is largely believed to have stemmed from Iran blowing up a Navy base in Bahrain that had been an important supply hub for the vessel. Read more, see X and photos here.