# USS Abraham Lincoln Homecoming Chaos

> Sailors return after 321-day deployment but families face hours-long lines for base passes.
- Title: USS Abraham Lincoln Homecoming Chaos · Vanity Fair | Shortify
- Summary: Sailors return after 321-day deployment but families face hours-long lines for base passes. Over 5,000 sailors returned to San Diego after a 321-day…
- Keywords: uss abraham lincoln, san diego, navy, military deployment, visitor passes, family line, suicide attempts, military base, USS, Abraham, Lincoln, Homecoming
- Source: Vanity Fair — https://vanityfair.com/story/uss-abraham-san-diego
- Author: Maxwell Adler
- Published: 2026-10-08T21:51:31.934+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: uss abraham lincoln, san diego, navy, military deployment, visitor passes, family line, suicide attempts, military base
## Homecoming Line Forms
Over 5,000 sailors returned to San Diego after a 321-day deployment on the USS Abraham Lincoln.
## Families Arrive in a Rush
Families flew in from across the country, some dragging suitcases straight from the airport.
## Visitor Pass Chaos
The line for visitor passes stretched several hundred feet, snaking across the lawn in front of the building.
## Navy Staff Strained
The computers couldn’t handle the rush of people, dressed in Navy branded hats and patriotic t-shirts, who were trying to get passes.
## Family Complaints
One woman yelled, 'If you’re new to the line, welcome to the shit show'.

> If you’re new to the line, welcome to the shit show
## Suicide Attempts Reported
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao confirmed eight suicide attempts across the Lincoln strike group during the deployment.
## Military Defends Conditions
A sailor’s father brushed aside reports about suicide attempts, saying, 'That kinda thing happens when they’re on land bases also'.

> That kinda thing happens when they’re on land bases also
## Family Relief
When the ship docked, families hugged sailors and waved signs reading 'Welcome Home Daddy'.
## Deployment Details
The Lincoln’s deployment was the second longest since the Vietnam War.
## Family Concerns
A mother from Hawaii had a fresh lei waiting for her daughter on the ship.
## Key takeaway

Over 5,000 sailors returned to San Diego after a 321-day deployment on the USS Abraham Lincoln, but families faced hours-long lines for visitor passes due to overwhelmed systems.