SAN DIEGO — The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) hosted a Friends and Family Day Cruise, Jan. 24.

​More than 850 family members and friends of Abraham Lincoln and Carrier Strike Group 3 Sailors got to see firsthand what their loved ones do onboard as they got underway with the crew from Naval Air Station North Island in the morning and returned later that evening.

“I think it was a great opportunity for friends and family who have not had a chance to be onboard a warship to experience what our ship does at sea,” said Senior Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Larry Pugh, one of the enlisted event coordinators. “I hope those who had the chance to be on this cruise walked away with a greater appreciation of what their Sailor does on a daily basis. It was an awesome turnout.”

Sailors and guests began the day with an early sea and anchor evolution, getting underway at 8 a.m. Participants then gathered on the flight deck for a narrated, guided tour of the San Diego Bay as Lincoln navigated toward open waters. Sailors conducted dozens of tours throughout the day to acquaint visitors with the ship’s operational capabilities. Guests also participated in interactive lessons on damage control in the hangar bay. Guests enjoyed lunch onboard, and were given the opportunity to buy Lincoln memorabilia.

“Everything was wonderful,” said Darrell Thorp, a guest aboard during the cruise. “The food display was great and everyone onboard was so polite. The chance for us family members to move around the ship freely and take everything in has been amazing.”

An air-power demonstration, held on the flight deck in the afternoon, showcased F-35C Lightning II and F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jets from Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW-9). The jets launched, landed and overflew the family and friends gathered on the flight deck.

​Abraham Lincoln recently concluded a seven-month deployment to U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility and is scheduled to commence a Planned Incremental Availability maintenance period in the coming months.