Image Gallery: A pair of NAS Lemoore squadrons end their record 10-month around-the-world deployment on Saturday

It just so happens a pair of  Naval Air Station Lemoore squadrons – VFA 86 and VFA 25 – went along for the 10-month ride. Despite a smattering of early morning fog, a hearty band of family members, friends, Navy personnel, and nosy journalists waited and watched as the two squadrons made a dramatic return Saturday afternoon.

Photos by Gary Feinstein, Feinsteinfotos

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The previous record for a sea venturing carrier also belongs to the Lincoln. The longevity mark was set from July 2002 to May 2003 in the run-up to the Iraq invasion and lasted 290 days. During its most recent 10-month deployment, the Lincoln sailed around the world, conducted operations with allies and partners, and returned safely home, with a short stop in Hawaii.

Seven months is usually a reasonable rotation for a carrier and its crew. The Lincoln was a part of Carrier Air Wing 7, which included a cruiser (USS Leyte Gulf), and the destroyers USS Mason, USS Bainbridge, and the USS Nitze, an armada of about 6,00 sailors.

With tensions rising around the globe, the Lincoln’s mission was altered, forcing an extended cruise. The Lincoln sped toward the Middle East and remained there for about seven months.

The squadrons, VFA 8 (Sidewinders) and VFA 25, referred to as the Fist of the Fleet, were an essential part of the Lincoln’s long deployment. Both squadrons returned safely to Lemoore to the welcoming cheers of hundreds of friends, sailors, and family.