STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
The USS Abraham Lincoln is back in its home port of San Diego this morning. The aircraft carrier just finished a nearly 11-month deployment, which is the longest time spent at sea without a port visit. John Carroll from our member station KPBS reports on its return.
JOHN CARROLL, BYLINE: Thousands of families were on the pier waiting, cheering, holding signs and ringing cowbells as the Lincoln approached.
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CARROLL: Kailah Clark had been waiting with her siblings since early morning.
KAILAH CLARK: We're waiting for our dad. He's a master chief, and his name is Lavell Clark.
CARROLL: The Clarks said they'd heard the stories about the Lincoln, news reports of plumbing problems, insufficient supplies, less-than-desirable food.
CLARK: We were very shocked. We were like, what? Like, the ship? Like, that's actually crazy. But, you know, I'm just glad they're returning now, and things can probably get better for them, you know what I mean?
CARROLL: Just after noon, the ship, which had been in sight for about a half hour, was slowly guided into the pier by tugboats.
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CARROLL: Isabella Hollon was standing right next to where the ship pulled up, but broke into a run when she saw her dad, USS Lincoln Captain David Hollon. Her homemade sign said she'd grown a few inches since he'd last seen her almost a year ago.
DAVID HOLLON: First deployment for her for being able to be here on the pier means a ton, just like the admiral and everybody said, brought all of the sailors and Marines home. Everybody just persevered. We do hard things. We do them together.
CARROLL: The USS Lincoln will eventually leave San Diego to travel to its new home port of Bremerton, Washington. For NPR News, I'm John Carroll in San Diego.
INSKEEP: And we'll mention that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth went on board the Lincoln to welcome the crew back. And while there, he made some news on a separate story. Hegseth spoke to the outlet Real America's Voice about the execution of Nidal Hasan, and he said that execution will be a public event. Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people, including a pregnant woman, and injuring more than 30 others in a shooting at the Fort Hood, Texas, Army base in 2009. The Pentagon says the Army's first firing squad execution since WWII will be livestreamed December 3.
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