| |
USS Abraham Lincoln Arrives in Thailand09/02 06:13
LAEM CHABANG, Thailand (AP) -- The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier
docked at a port in eastern Thailand on Wednesday after its grueling deployment
in the Middle East.
Associated Press journalists watched the Lincoln, which is carrying about
5,000 service members, as it made its way into the Laem Chabang port in
Chonburi province shortly after the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. sailed
past the area.
The Lincoln has been supporting the U.S. war against Iran. Its deployment
included a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 250 days.
Concerns have grown about the Lincoln's lengthy deployment following reports of
deteriorating mental health among the crew and shortages of supplies including
food and hygiene products.
Crew members were not immediately accessible to media, but the ship itself
looked due for at least a new paint job, with large blotches of what appeared
to be rust on the hull, especially just above the waterline and at the edge of
the flight desk, where fighter aircraft and helicopters were parked.
When asked about the aircraft carrier's appearance, Capt. Dan Keeler, the
Lincoln's commanding officer, replied that "it is normal for a long deployment
and we're not going to make further comments."
Asked for his thoughts about about U.S. President Donald Trump's comment
that the Lincoln's record-setting deployment was "not nearly long enough," he
was similarly terse.
"So, the President speaks for himself," he said. '"That is what I think
about that."
A U.S. Embassy statement said the Lincoln's strike group arrived in Laem
Chabang, while the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. docked at the nearby
port of Sriracha, and the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls is in Map Ta
Phut in neighboring Rayong province.
The visit marked the Lincoln's first full port stop after 286 days at sea
from the start of the deployment in 2025, the statement said.
"Abraham Lincoln's visit to Laem Chabang is a clear demonstration of our
enduring commitment to our allies and partners in Thailand, and we are all very
excited to make Thailand the first port visit on our historic deployment,"
Keeler said earlier in a prepared statement.
The usually Asia-based USS George Washington relieved the long-deployed
Lincoln in the Middle East in August.
Many of the service members are expected to make a visit to Pattaya, a
nearby popular beach town. Thai officials have said the Lincoln's stop would be
for rest and recovery before returning to its U.S. base.
Pattaya officials said they welcomed the visit and the potential boost to
the local economy. Authorities said they are stepping up security to ensure a
smooth visit.
Shakeira Fairfax, the mother of a crew member, traveled to Thailand to meet
her daughter Jada.
"I'm excited. I'm so full of emotion. I can't wait to hold her. I can't wait
to snuggle up next to her," said the mom, who hails from Paterson, New Jersey.
She spoke to The Associated Press outside a hotel in the resort city of Pattaya
where crew members are set to spend their leaves.
Shakeira said her daughter, an entry-level seaman, finished basic training
in October and shipped out for the Lincoln's deployment in mid-November, later
celebrating her 25th birthday on board.
Shakeira said she worried most just after the U.S. launched its initial
attack on Iran at the end of February and she was unable to connect with Jada
for awhile.
"It was an uncertain time. It was a scary time. It was difficult --
definitely difficult. But she has a support system. Her friends reached out to
me. In fact, one of her good childhood friends is here as well. It was a time
for us to stick together and trust and believe that she would be OK."
She also recalled how her daughter sought her support when morale aboard the
ship was reportedly low.
"I asked, "What can I do? What can I do?" She said, "Just tell me old
stories." Being able to share stories, laugh and look at photographs -- to take
that walk down memory lane -- was really nice. It was really nice."
|
|
