The Sailors of the deployed Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) were treated with a visit from two U.S. Senators while the United States of America celebrated its 243rd birthday on the Fourth of July with beach vacations, cookouts, firework shows and family.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina, and U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland, visited the crew of Abraham Lincoln, July 4. Van Hollen, a graduate of Swarthmore College, the John F. Kennedy School of Public Policy at Harvard University, and Georgetown University Law Center, was elected to the U.S. Senate by the people of Maryland in November 2016. Graham, a retired Air Force colonel, earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002 and re-elected in 2008 and 2014.

“We want to say to the men and women here on USS Abraham Lincoln, happy Fourth of July and, most importantly, thank you for what you do for our country,” said Van Hollen. “We want you to know that everyone back home thanks you for your sacrifice and the sacrifice your families make. You are the best and you are the spirit of the Fourth of July and our mission is to make sure you have everything you need to complete your mission for the country. Thank you, God bless you and happy Fourth.”

After arriving on Abraham Lincoln, the senators had a chance to have lunch with Sailors including a few from their respective states.

“Eating with the senators was a great experience,” said Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Rebekah Kent. “I found them to be very down-to-earth and supportive of our mission.”

After lunch, Graham and Van Hollen were able to make three Sailors’ day particularly special by acting as the re-enlisting officers for their re-enlistment.

“It was an honor to not only meet some of the leadership from our country, but to be re-enlisted by a United States senator on the Fourth of July was a truly awesome opportunity,” said Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 2nd Class Keelen Calvert.

During the visit, the senators toured the ship, meeting with crew members along the way, followed by a meeting with senior leadership to discuss the Abraham Lincoln Strike Group’s (ABECSG) ongoing mission.

“I wanted to come here and let you know that we got your back and help you celebrate the Fourth of July,” said Graham. “I am a thousand percent confident you can complete the mission.”

Before departing, Van Hollen and Graham observed an air power demonstration of Carrier Air Wing 7.

The visit not only provided the opportunity to showcase the forward-deployed ABECSG and the valuable work the Sailors aboard contribute in the increasingly challenged and dynamic maritime environment, but also provided the crew with a boost of morale on this important American holiday.

“The senators’ visit allowed someone from back home to come out and see what we are really doing out here,” said Seaman Aaron Jordan. “It showed that what we are doing isn’t going unnoticed and that we’re fighting for freedom all over the United States.”

ABECSG is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. With Abraham Lincoln as the flagship, deployed strike group assets include staffs, ships and aircraft of Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG 12), Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2, USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) and Carrier Air Wing 7 (CVW 7).

Get more information about the Navy from US Navy Facebook or Twitter.

For more news from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), visit www.navy.mil/.