U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier George H.W. Bush Arrives In Thailand After 6-Month Middle East Deployment

The US aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush arrived off Phuket in Thailand on Sunday, October 4, with around 4,800 personnel on board. The carrier is in Thailand after spending the past six months supporting US operations in the Middle East.

The Nimitz-class carrier and its strike group supported Operation Epic Fury and a US naval blockade in the US Central Command area of responsibility.

The Phuket visit is the first port call for the carrier since it left Norfolk, Virginia, and Mayport, Florida, in March. The crew is expected to stay in Thailand from October 4 to 9.

The carrier is anchored offshore. Sailors are expected to come ashore through Phuket Deep Sea Port. Some crew members were seen arriving by boat.

The sailors will have time to rest during the visit. They are also expected to take part in sightseeing tours and other cultural and community activities.

A US-Thailand soccer match is also planned.

Capt. Justin T. Issler, the carrier’s commanding officer, said the crew had worked well during the deployment. He said the visit would give sailors time to rest, experience Thai culture and meet people in the local community.

The carrier’s visit comes after months of operations in the Middle East.

The George H.W. Bush left Norfolk on March 31. It was sent to the Middle East to join a larger US naval force already operating in the region.

After direct fighting between the United States and Iran paused in April following a brief ceasefire, the carrier and its strike group supported a US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

Fighting resumed in July, and the carrier continued to be part of the US naval presence in the Arabian Sea supporting US operations.

The carrier later left the region without a public announcement from US Central Command or the US 5th Fleet.

On September 30, CENTCOM posted a photograph of the carrier in the Arabian Sea. It was not clear when the photograph was taken.

The George H.W. Bush was the third US aircraft carrier sent to support the war effort and is now the third to leave, according to the supplied material.

The carrier left the region after further attacks between Iran and the United States. Iranian missiles and drones targeted US bases in Jordan and at least one aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.

Nine Marines and 29 sailors were wounded in action in September, according to the US Department of Defense casualty database.

The USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln also spent extended periods at sea during their deployments.

The Lincoln spent months at sea without a port call before visiting Thailand in September. The Navy confirmed last month that eight service members in the Lincoln carrier strike group had attempted suicide.

Second US carrier to visit Thailand

The George H.W. Bush is the second US aircraft carrier to visit Thailand in recent weeks.

The USS Abraham Lincoln made a five-day visit to Laem Chabang in eastern Thailand last month. About 5,000 sailors and Marines were on board.

The visit was the Lincoln’s first port call since 2025. Some crew members also visited Pattaya, a major resort city about 150 km southeast of Bangkok.

A local mayor estimated that each US service member could spend up to 3,000 baht ($89) a day during the visit.

Thailand is the United States’ only treaty ally in mainland Southeast Asia.

The George H.W. Bush’s departure leaves the USS George Washington in the Middle East, according to the supplied material.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt is heading towards the region but is not expected to arrive within the next few days.

The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, carrying sailors and Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, also left San Diego last week.

It is not clear how long the George Washington will remain in the region after the Theodore Roosevelt arrives.

The George H.W. Bush carrier strike group has also changed during the deployment. The US 7th Fleet currently lists the destroyers USS Mason, USS Ross and USS Donald Cook as part of the group.