USS Abraham Lincoln returns home after 10 months at sea
The crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln is back home after being at sea for 10 months. They sacrificed so much during that time and so did their families.
When it comes to public displays of emotion, it's hard to beat a Navy ship docking after a deployment. But when it's the longest deployment for an aircraft carrier since Vietnam, you can forget about topping it.
The new fathers, like Daniel Bobier, were first off the ship. His wife had given birth two weeks after he shipped out. These reunions were supposed to happen last October, but escalating tensions with Iran delayed them another three months.
When the USS Lincoln docked in San Diego after 295 days at sea, it returned to a new port of call. Families moved across the country from Norfolk, Virginia, to San Diego, and now call Lincoln's home their own.
Ashley Lenart is one of the new moms. Her son Conor is 4 months old and is meeting his dad, Michael Lenart, for the first time.
"I think I am on dad duty for the next three weeks, 24 hours a day," Lenart said.
What you couldn't see amid the hugs and tears is the sacrifice. What so many of us take for granted is a way of life for those keeping us safe.