Crisis aboard USS Abraham Lincoln: 8 sailors attempted suicide during mission

Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao revealed in a four-page letter sent Tuesday to Democratic Senator and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Kirsten Gillibrand, that eight sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group attempted suicide during their extended deployment, which included U.S. combat operations against Iran.

"Since the start of the Lincoln's deployment, there have been a total of eight suicide attempts across the entire strike group," Cao wrote. "This figure includes the Lincoln's crew, sailors from the air wing, strike group personnel, the destroyer squadron, escort destroyers, and all shipboard aviation squadrons," wrote Cao, who emphasized that no members of the Armed Forces died by suicide during the deployment.

"The men and women of Carrier Strike Group THREE have demonstrated exceptional resolve under demanding conditions," wrote Cao, who added that decisions to extend deployments are made in response to changing security circumstances and the need to protect U.S. interests, personnel and allies.

Operational conditions also had a temporary impact on the crew's meals. According to Cao, during combat operations against Iran and given "limited" resupply opportunities, the Lincoln went from offering two main-course options to just one. However, he assured that four meals a day were provided and that the food was "nutritionally balanced," with sufficient calories for the sailors.

Regarding the crew's psychological well-being, the acting secretary of the Navy explained that the aircraft carrier had various professionals and support resources on board, including five chaplains, an integrated prevention counselor, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, three behavioral health technicians and an expeditionary facility support dog. Cao added that the ships accompanying the Lincoln also had chaplains assigned to provide pastoral care and assess the resilience of their respective crews.

The revelation comes as the Lincoln prepares to return to the United States after departing from California in November 2025 to carry out a mission in the South China Sea and having been diverted to the Middle East prior to the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.