The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln docked at a Thai port after spending 286 straight days at sea, including deployment in the Iran war. But shortly after arriving, two U.S. service members were sent back to the ship over allegations of involvement in a drunken brawl.
The two unidentified service members must now spend the rest of their five-day stay in Pattaya aboard the ship. The seaside resort town of Pattaya is known as Thailand’s “Sin City.”
Citing local police, media outlet MSNow reported that a Thai citizen called an emergency services number last Thursday to report that two U.S. service members were involved in a fight near a bar in the city at 1:30 a.m. Police went to the scene, after which the two were taken to the U.S.-Thailand Joint Operations Center at the city’s Hard Rock Cafe. They were later sent back to the aircraft carrier.
Speaking to the outlet, a Thai official described the incident as “minor,” saying the two service members were intoxicated, and the emergency call was made out of concern that the fight could escalate.
The Independent contacted the U.S. Navy for comment on the matter. The Nimitz-class carrier USS Abraham Lincoln docked at Pattaya last Wednesday after completing its duties during the ongoing Iran war.
The carrier has returned to port after nearly nine months at sea. The mission, which began last November, had originally been scheduled to end in May this year.
The massive warship has recently made international headlines. Various discussions began after reports emerged of supply shortages and a mental health crisis among the ship’s 5,000 sailors and Marines.
Family members told the Military Times that several service members even attempted to jump overboard into the sea. The wife of one sailor who attempted to jump said, “That’s how his 13-year career ended right before my eyes.” That sailor is currently being kept under observation for treatment.
However, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last month called reports of the warship’s dire conditions “completely baseless.” He told reporters, “I have the utmost respect and gratitude for those sailors. What they did under the harsh conditions of rough seas, without the chance to dock at a port, is truly incredible.”
Sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln will have the opportunity for shore leave in Pattaya through the end of this week. The city’s main strip is lined with countless clubs, bars, tattoo shops and sex workers.
Rear Admiral Robert Lafran said in a statement, “Our arrival in Laem Chabang has given our sailors and Marines a great opportunity to rest and recharge.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that some service members in civilian clothes were seen drinking beer, paying a few dollars to play with exotic snakes, and heading to Burger King for a taste of home. One sailor, stepping off the carrier, said he felt “great.”