The USS Abraham Lincoln docked at Laem Chabang port in Thailand on Wednesday with large areas of its hull covered in rust after 286 days at sea. ^[1] Carl Schuster warned that rust acts like a contagious disease that can weaken steel structures and affect safety elements like decks and walkways if not eliminated. ^[2] Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain and specialist in Nimitz-class carriers, explained to CNN that corrosion along the waterline is common after weeks of continuous operations in saltwater. ^[3] The aircraft carrier had been at sea since leaving its base in San Diego in November and participated in military operations in the Middle East. ^[4] Families and crew members reported concerns about food and water shortages, disrupted mail, laundry problems, and declining morale, with relatives raising fears about self-harm during Navy town hall meetings in August. ^[5] The 1,092-foot nuclear-powered carrier brought around 5,000 U.S. sailors and Marines ashore for a four-day rest stop after months of operations in the Middle East. ^[6] The Lincoln went 264 days in a row without a full port visit, breaking the modern U.S. Navy record of 206 straight days at sea set by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[7]