USS Abraham Lincoln sailors spend leave in Pattaya

The Guardian said it changed the names of sailors quoted because they had been told not to speak to the media about onboard conditions. Adam, on his first deployment, compared the living situation to “being stuck in your bedroom with all your family”, but said “finding your people” helped; he said food was hardest and described eating “uncooked beef”. Marco said standards deteriorated during the “battle rhythm” of Operation Epic Fury because restocking would have put the ship at risk, while Trent cited “pushing through, keeping the mentality” as the hardest part.

Many sailors sought familiar comforts. Tim, holding socks in a Vans store, said: “It’s the simple stuff like new socks,” while David bought his wife a Hello Kitty soft toy from H&M. Local businesses put up welcome signs, including Tito Fashion’s offer of suits “specially for US Navy ready in 24 hours”, and Nike, Victoria’s Secret and Starbucks reported higher sales.

Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet said the visit could generate about 100m Thai baht ($3m) if each American spends $100 to $150 per day. The city’s nightlife also adapted: crews were advised not to go to Soi 6 beer bars after sunset, while Walking Street remained open and displayed a neon sign reading, “Pattaya City is pleased to welcome USS Abraham Lincoln carrier and its personnel.” At American Eagle, Puangbubpha Duangsri said off-season daily sales of about 70,000 baht rose to more than 200,000 baht after the sailors arrived, asking: “Can they stay an extra week?”