USS Lincoln sailor returns home to find apartment ransacked and car stolen

A US Navy sailor returned home after 10 months aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln to find his apartment ransacked and his car stolen. Connor Nelson arrived at his Lemoore, California, apartment on September 20, 2026, after an extended deployment in the Middle East. He discovered his car was missing from the parking lot and was able to open his front door with a light push, indicating it had not been secured. His father, Justin Nelson, a 22-year Navy veteran, stated on a GoFundMe page that several thousands of dollars worth of belongings were taken, including a television, laptop, shoes, and fishing equipment. The police are currently investigating the incident. Connor Nelson expressed his feelings of upset upon returning home after a long deployment, stating, "You spend the last 10 months of your life away from home, looking forward to the day you get to go home." The fundraiser to assist him has raised over $35,000. The USS Abraham Lincoln, a nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, left its homeport in San Diego in November 2025 and was stationed in the Middle East for nine months, conducting combat operations amid the war in Iran. It was relieved by the USS George Washington in late August 2026 and is currently returning to San Diego. Nelson was part of an early detachment crew that returned first. Approximately 6,000 to 7,000 sailors were deployed as part of the Lincoln strike group across about six ships. A letter from Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand revealed that there have been eight suicide attempts onboard since deployment, including among the Lincoln crew and other associated personnel. Gillibrand criticized President Trump for dismissing concerns about conditions aboard the Lincoln and expressed discontent with the administration's priorities regarding military personnel. The US Navy and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.