• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Lincoln Strike Group Departs Thailand

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060425-09
Release Date: 4/25/2006 5:40:00 PM

By Journalist 1st Class (SW) Joaquin Juatai, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, At Sea (NNS) -- Ships of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Carrier Strike Group (ALCSG) got under way April 24 after a four-day port visit to Thailand.

The visit made history as Lincoln moored at Laemb Chebang, the first time any large-deck Navy ship has been able to moor in Thailand. Sailors were bused from the busy commercial port to Pattaya in order to take advantage of liberty.

During the visit, Sailors were able to shop, take tours and participate in community service projects with a local orphanage and two local schools.

According to Lt. Cmdr Steven Orren, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 chaplain, more than 200 Sailors participated in the community service projects.

“We moved furniture from an old building that was being readied [for reconstruction], to a new building that looked like it was just completed,” said Orren, describing the work done at Pattaya orphanage.

The time doing community service was not all work and no play, though.

“We hung out with the babies, held and fed them, and played soccer and basketball with the kids,” he said.

Sailors had the opportunity to host 38 children from the Pattaya orphanage aboard the ship April 22. The children had ice cream in the first class petty officer’s mess and were led on a tour of the ship.

“They were pretty ecstatic about it,” said Lt. Todd Friedman, Lincoln’s supply department services officer. “They were a nice group of kids that had a great time having ice cream with their tour guides. The [executive officer] even sat down and had a cup with them.”

Lincoln hosted more than 500 guests aboard for tours of the ship, including members of the Chinese and Russian embassies to Thailand.

Sailors also took advantage of tours, traveling to Bangkok to visit places such as the Royal Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and Wat Pho, the temple of the Reclining Buddha. There were activities such as snorkeling, elephant rides and plenty of shopping in Pattaya, as well.

Lincoln and the ALCSG are currently under way as part of a scheduled Western Pacific deployment.