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Abraham Lincoln Strike Group WESTPAC 00 Deployment
CVN-72 Abraham Lincoln
"Abe" / "Shall Not Perish"

Following a break, the ship visited Santa Barbara, California and Victoria, British Columbia, then commenced a six-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) in Bremerton, Washington in April 1999. After completion of the PIA in September 1999, Abe participated in Fleet Week '99 in San Francisco, California. The crew then began a nine- month Inter-Deployment Training Cycle (IDTC) during which the ship revisited Santa Barbara and Victoria before participating in RIMPAC 2000, a multi-national exercise conducted off the Hawaiian Islands. RIMPAC completed the IDTC and prepared the ship for WESTPAC 2000, a major deployment to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf.

The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) left port 17 August 2000 for a scheduled six-month Western Pacific (WESTPAC) and Arabian Gulf deployment. The carrier was joined the following week off the coast of Southern California by Carrier Air Wing Fourteen. The carrier and nine-squadron air wing spent the majority of the deployment in the Arabian Gulf supporting Operation Southern Watch which included the enforcement of the no-fly zone over southern Iraq. The Abraham Lincoln Battle Group, under the command of Rear Adm. Phillip Balisle, was comprised of the carrier, which served as the command ship for the battle group, and eight other vessels. These ships include USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and USS Shiloh (CG 67), both guided missile cruisers assigned to Cruiser Destroyer Group 3; destroyers USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) and USS Fletcher (DD 992) and the fast frigate USS Crommelin (FFG 37), all assigned to Destroyer Squadron 31; the Los Angeles-class fast attack submarines USS Cheyenne (SSN 773) and USS Tuscon (SSN 770); and the supply ship and oiler, USS Camden (AOE 2).

On 10 February 2001 USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) brought their six-month deployment to an end as the carrier arrived in its homeport of Everett, Wash. During the initial transit phase, port visits to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand were scheduled. Weather diverts, causing the delay of numerous flying days, resulted in the cancellation of stops in Hong Kong and Singapore; National Command Authority tasking to relieve the on-station carrier battle group in the Arabian Gulf resulted in the by-passing of Thailand. Relieving the USS George Washington Battle Group ahead of schedule, USS Abraham Lincoln assumed duties as the 'tip of the spear' carrier, ready to fight and maintain vigilance over the air space in the no-fly zone over Iraq. Only two port visits were made while the carrier was in the Arabian Gulf. The primary factor for the reduced number of port visits was the terrorist attack on USS Cole and the subsequent increase in threat condition in the region. Meanwhile, Sailors concentrated on providing the services necessary to fly nearly 1,500 sorties over Iraq. Following almost 100 days in the Arabian Gulf, the carrier headed for some much-needed liberty in Perth, Australia, and Hobart, Tasmania. After taking in the sights 'down under' the carrier began its transit across the Pacific.

Chronology

12 Feb 2001 - returned to Everett
17 Aug 2000 - departed for 6-month WestPac/Gulf
May-Nov 1999 - 6-mo PIA @ Puget Sound NSY