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NAVAIR Depot North Island riggers hang a 9-by-30 banner welcoming USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Photos by Scott Janes

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A 9-by-30 banner from NAVAIR Depot North Island welcomes USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) back from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photos by Scott Janes

NAVAIR welcomes USS Abraham Lincoln back from war

CORONADO, Calif. – The band played. The crowd cheered. Families reunited after the longest deployment since the Vietnam War. And all the while, a NAVAIR welcoming banner was out as the crew of the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) arrived at Naval Air Station North Island on its return from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

NAVAIR Depot North Island put out the welcome mat for the carrier and crew, reflecting the continued support NAVAIR and the Depot personnel have provided the Lincoln, which is homeported in Everett, Wash.

In support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, North Island’s Field Service team had five members aboard Lincoln, removing and replacing the No. 3 and No. 4 fuel cells on a F/A-18 Hornet of Fighter Attack Squadron 115. The Depot’s Calibration Labs provided support to Lincoln. Even the Industrial Quality Department provided support, to the Field Service team replacing the fuel cells.

During the training cycle, the carrier often makes port calls in San Diego at North Island, for resupply and for liberty calls. The Depot and the relevant ship departments can meet for face-to-face discussions during these stops, allowing employees and crew members to resolve problems and at the same time establish a personal rapport. Work also may be done on a carrier during its time in San Diego by the Depot’s Voyage Repair Team on Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment systems.

The banner was a heartfelt thank you from NAVAIR and the Depot to the men and women of USS Abraham Lincoln, who were in the middle of returning stateside when they were diverted back to join in Operation Iraqi Freedom, spending 10 months deployed.