Mother of USS Abraham Lincoln sailor “so relieved” son has arrived in Thailand after record deployment

September 3, 2026 / 11:02 AM EDT / CBS News

Sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln are swapping military operations for beaches, bars and a few days of much-needed rest after landing in Thailand. And after a record nine months at sea, parents of the sailors are just happy they are on solid ground after the grueling deployment.

"I'm certain that his feet have touched the ground, and I'm really so relieved, so relieved," Christi McGarey, whose son Marshall Ludwig is a sailor on the ship, told CBS News. "Those ports are really important, and there's a reason why things like this don't happen, because since that particular vessel has been in commission there's never been this many consecutive days at sea."

Some 5,000 sailors, Marines and crew departed the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier after spending the last six months involved in the war with Iran.

During that time, there have been ongoing reports of deteriorating conditions on board due to a lack of supplies from U.S. bases in the region that were repeatedly targeted by Iranian strikes — as well as a decline in the mental health of the crew.

CBS News spoke to several sailors as they arrived in…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/