USS Abraham Lincoln Endured 10-Day Resupply Gaps After Iran War Damaged Bahrain Base
Updated
Updated · ms.now · Aug 21
USS Abraham Lincoln Endured 10-Day Resupply Gaps After Iran War Damaged Bahrain Base
3 articles · Updated · ms.now · Aug 21
Summary
Nearly 5,000 sailors and Marines on the USS Abraham Lincoln ran short of basics such as toothpaste, soap and deodorant during its nine-month deployment, with some family packages taking up to four months to arrive.
Iran war damage to the Navy’s Bahrain logistics hub and threats in the Strait of Hormuz forced resupply from Diego Garcia, 2,200 miles away, stretching replenishment cycles from about every three days to every 10 days.
Vice Adm. Douglas Verissimo told families on Aug. 6 that conditions had been “extremely bad” for a period, contradicting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s public denial of any supply problems.
The carrier said on Aug. 17 it had completed 54 replenishments at sea, taking on 20 million gallons of fuel, 10,261 pallets of supplies and 2,103 triwalls of mail, though former supply officers said the totals mask timing gaps.
Retired Navy leaders said the shortages exposed a broader planning failure: Diego Garcia lacked capacity for a prolonged Middle East surge, and the Navy had not prepared for contested logistics after years of prioritizing the Pacific.