The US Navy carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln has received the Presidential Unit Citation, the military’s highest unit-level award for valour, after 40 days of combat operations against Iran.
The aircraft carrier returned to San Diego after spending 321 days away from home.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the award on Wednesday, October 7, after visiting the carrier a day before its planned return. The award recognises the strike group’s role in Operation Epic Fury, the Trump administration’s campaign for the war against Iran.
According to the award citation Hegseth read, the strike group carried out 3,693 combat flights, delivered 1.37 million pounds of ordnance, and launched 450 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
It also shot down 77 one-way attack drones, sank 64 Iranian warships, destroyed 21 anti-ship cruise missiles and defended against four fast attack craft and explosive-carrying vessels.
Hegseth said the strike group
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