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Why US troops are forced to die at sea:What is happening on warship USS Lincoln patrolling near Iran?
Edited by Bhaskar English8 hours ago
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The American Navy’s aircraft carrier ‘USS George Washington’ has departed towards the Middle East
It will replace ‘USS Abraham Lincoln’, where more than 5,000 marines deployed have not seen land for nearly 9 months
Reports of suicide attempts by naval personnel on USS Lincoln have emerged in recent media reports
What happened on USS Lincoln? Why are American naval personnel desperate enough to jump into the sea to end their lives? Let us understand in today’s explainer
How did the condition of American soldiers present on USS Lincoln come to light?
According to Navy Times, a website that reports on the American military
- A woman named Annabelle Loma said that her naval husband attempted to jump from USS Abraham Lincoln. He has been rescued and placed on medical leave. Currently, there is difficulty in contacting him.
- According to Annabella, ‘My husband is scared. He feels he will be dishonourably discharged from the Navy. Just because he became exhausted from the workload. His 13-year Navy career will be ruined just like that.’
- Another naval officer’s wife, Maria Rodriguez, said that her husband stationed on USS Lincoln called out to a colleague who was preparing to jump into the sea, stopped him, and pulled him back onto the deck by grabbing his arm.
On 6 August, family members of soldiers stationed on the warship had a meeting with Acting Secretary of the US Navy Hung Cao and some other senior officers. According to the American website Stars and Stripes
- A naval officer’s wife tearfully told officers that her husband sent a message – ‘I hope I don’t wake up tomorrow morning.’
- A soldier’s father said, ‘My son tells me that his comrades think about jumping off the ship all the time. We are sleeping peacefully at home and they are fighting there to save whom.’
- Many other naval personnel and their families reported that, ‘The soldiers present on the warship are exhausted. Their morale has fallen. They are having suicidal thoughts.’
USS Abraham Lincoln can carry more than 5,000 sailors. It is equipped with nuclear capabilities and can launch 70 aircraft.
What has been the condition of USS Lincoln deployed for 9 months?
On 21 November 2025, USS Abraham Lincoln departed from San Diego, America for deployment in the Pacific Ocean region. It has more than 5,000 marine soldiers and crew members
On 11 December, Lincoln reached Guam Island in the Pacific Ocean. Then it was sent to the area around Iran in the Middle East. Since January, it has been deployed in this area of the Arabian Sea
This aircraft carrier was used in American airstrikes against Iran. According to the US Central Command, fighter jets deployed on Lincoln have conducted approximately ten thousand flights
It was expected to return in May, but its deployment was extended without any announcement
In early July, Lincoln briefly stopped at a port in Oman. Fresh fruits and vegetables were procured there. During this time, some soldiers were allowed to disembark from the ship, but they were kept within a secured campus inside the port
Some soldiers stationed on the Lincoln told American news channel CNN that the Lincoln is currently deployed in blockading Iranian ports. Due to this, it cannot stop at friendly nations’ ports. Neither are the sailors getting rest nor is the supply of necessary materials possible
Because of this, there are 2 types of problems on the aircraft carrier
1. Worse conditions for living
- Experts say that during long missions, parts of carriers like Lincoln start to wear out. Only makeshift repairs can be done at sea. The arresting cables that stop landing jets start to wear out. Salt water begins to seep inside the ship.
- Currently, there is a water shortage in Lincoln’s toilets. Fungus has grown in the showers. A soldier’s family showed CNN pictures of overflowing toilets filled with sewage. Hot water arrangements for bathing are not being managed.
2. Shortage of food and drinking items
- American Democratic Congressman Mike Levin wrote on X, ‘Laundry has been stopped for weeks, meals consist of half a cup of rice and two rotis. Not even soap, deodorant and toothpaste are available.’
- A soldier said, ‘Earlier you could buy as much as you wanted from the ship’s store, whatever you needed. Hygiene-related products were available. Now shopping has been limited. There’s hardly any cleaning item left.’
This picture of food being served on USS Abraham Lincoln is going viral on social media.
Generally, how many days do aircraft carriers stay at sea?
Aircraft carriers like USS Abraham Lincoln run on nuclear energy. Therefore, they don’t need to come to port for refueling. About a month’s worth of rations are also available. In between, supplies are provided through Underway Replenishment (UNREP), meaning other ships or helicopters deliver supplies to them
During normal days, carriers stop at ports for about a month’s time
The American Navy plans a cycle of 32 to 36 months, approximately 3 years, for aircraft carrier deployment. This is called the ‘Optimised Fleet Response Plan’, OFRP
During these three years, naval personnel remain deployed for 7 months, that is 210 days, on the aircraft carrier or other warships deployed in its strike group
According to American Admiral Daryl Caudle, from 2018 to 2022, most American naval deployments followed this cycle. However, after Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, several of the US’ total 11 aircraft carriers had to extend their deployments
As of 13 August, USS Lincoln has been at sea for more than 53 days beyond its initial plan to return in May. It has been more than 200 days since it stopped at any port
Earlier, it departed from San Diego on 3 January 2022, and returned after a 220-day deployment in the Indo-Pacific and South China Sea. Then it returned to San Diego from a Pacific mission of approximately 162 days from 11 July 2024, to 20 December 2024
Meanwhile, USS Gerald Ford has been at sea since June 2025. In October 2025, it was involved in a mission to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Then in February 2026, it was sent to the Middle East. On 16 May 2026, it returned to port after 326 days. This is the longest deployment record for any aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War
CNN estimates that by the time USS Lincoln reaches its home in California, it could break Ford’s record
Earlier in February 2025, the toilets of America’s USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier got choked. Soldiers had to wait in line for 45 minutes.
What happens when staying at sea continuously for so many days?
Since December, Lincoln’s crew members have not set foot on land. Staying at sea for so many days can cause physical and mental problems
Lack of Privacy:Thousands of people live in a small confined space on the ship. Personal space almost disappears. This causes irritation with others
Burnout: Return dates are repeatedly extended. The uncertainty of the homecoming date causes soldiers to break down mentally
Risk of Depression: Limited access to internet or calls keeps soldiers disconnected from their families and they don’t get to know about good or bad news happening at home. They are unable to help. This leads to guilt. This also increases depression
Insomnia:Many soldiers work in the lower parts of the ship, where they don’t get natural sunlight and fresh air for weeks. This causes Vitamin D deficiency. The circadian rhythm, meaning the body clock, gets disrupted, which leads to sleeplessness
Constant Fatigue: Continuous shifts of 12 to 16 hours, the loud noise of jet engines, and the compulsion to remain alert at all times completely exhausts the body. The body doesn’t get time to rest and reset
Lack of Fresh Food: After the initial few weeks, fresh fruits, vegetables, and milk etc. run out. Eating processed or packed food for a long time leads to digestive and nutritional problems
Poor Bathrooms and Water: Due to lack of plumbing for a long time, the ship’s toilets and showers become unusable. Many times toilets overflow and filth starts coming out. This increases the risk of disease or infection spreading
What is the Trump administration’s stance on this?
American Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth initially dismissed reports about the poor condition of USS Lincoln. On 14 August, when Donald Trump was told that USS Lincoln had been deployed for a long time, he said, ‘No, that’s not the case at all.’ Trump also rejected the claim that the health of soldiers was concerning
The US’ Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said, ‘USS Lincoln spent more than 200 days in the combat zone. Its 266-day deployment was quite challenging. It accomplished the mission in an excellent manner.’
Cao acknowledged that some soldiers were given mental health treatment, but he dismissed reports of any deaths or major incidents. However, Trump and Cao have said that USS Lincoln is now returning to the US and will soon be replaced by another aircraft carrier
An American official told American media ‘CBS News’ that ‘USS George Washington’ is now moving forward to replace USS Lincoln. It departed from Japan’s Yokosuka naval base in May to patrol the Pacific region
British news outlet BBC’s analysis is that USS George Washington was near Malaysia on 13 August, which could reach near Iran by 22 August and replace USS Lincoln. It may arrive at Oman’s Duqm port
After reaching the Middle East, USS Washington will be the third American aircraft carrier in that area, but there will no longer be any American aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean
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