CVN-72 or ‘Abe’ is deployed to the Pacific Fleet as planned in 1991 to join CVN-68 Nimitz as the second nuclear powered carrier on the west coast. When war starts she’s in the process of deploying to the Indian Ocean, enroute to the Persian Gulf to replace the Nimitz for an 8-month deployment. Departing the US before Christmas 1993 she conducted an exercise with CV-62 Independence and CV-63 Kitty Hawk (just returning from the Persian Gulf) off of the Philippines in January, followed by a port visit to Sydney Australia at the beginning of February. She is heading to the Indian Ocean at war start but will almost immediately be recalled to the Pacific to help stabilize maters there.
USS Abraham Lincoln CVBG
CVN-72 Abraham Lincoln (FLAG)
CVW 11
VF-213 Black Lions F-14A
VF-102 Diamondbacks F-14A
VFA-22 Fighting Redcocks F/A-18C (N)
VFA-94 Mighty Shrikes F/A-18C (N)
VFMA-314 Black Knights F/A-18A
VA-95 Green Lizards A-6E SWIP (From 1 March)
VAQ-135 Black Ravens EA-6B
VAW-117 Wallbangers E-2C
VS-29 Dragonfires S-3B
HS-6 Indians SH-60F, HH-60H
VQ-5(El) Sea Shadows ES-3A
CG-51 Thomas S. Gates
CG-30 Horne
CG-24 Reeves
DDG-54 Curtis Wilber
DD-981 John Hancock
FFG-51 Gary
FFG-32 John L. Hall
Notes
1. VA-95, deploys when the Navy reactivates 6x A-6E Sqns (only 8 AC)