In brief: The photograph circulating as proof of damage to the USS Abraham Lincoln is a misattributed historical image. Reverse-image checks link it to Getty Images from 1967 showing repairs to the USS Forrestal after a deadly fire that killed 134 sailors. U.S. Central Command and independent searches found no evidence the Abraham Lincoln was struck during Operation Epic Fury.
Fact Check: Photo Of 'Damaged' Carrier Is From 1967 — Not The USS Abraham Lincoln
Lead Stories says: Different Ship
A widely shared photograph claimed to show damage to the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln is misattributed. The image actually dates to 1967 and depicts repair crews working on the flight deck of the USS Forrestal after a catastrophic fire during the Vietnam War. There is no evidence that the Abraham Lincoln was struck during Operation Epic Fury.
Image source: post by @PitPad3 on X.
Claim
On March 3, 2026, social media posts on X circulated an image asking 'And what the hell happened to Abraham?' and implying the carrier's flight deck had been damaged in recent strikes linked to Operation Epic Fury.
Image source: Dick Swanson/Getty Images.
What We Found
Reverse-image searches trace the photograph to Getty Images and date it to 1967. The picture shows repair teams working to restore the USS Forrestal's flight deck after the deadly 1967 onboard fire in the Gulf of Tonkin that killed 134 sailors. Independent news searches and a statement from U.S. Central Command found no evidence that the USS Abraham Lincoln was hit.
Evidence
- Getty Images archive: The photo is catalogued and dated to 1967, linked to the Forrestal fire coverage.
- Reverse-image verification: Multiple reverse-image results connect the circulating image to historical Forrestal coverage, not to events in 2026.
- Official response: U.S. Central Command denied claims that a U.S. aircraft carrier had been struck, saying the only vessel hit was the Iranian Shahid Bagheri.
- News searches: Google News and other outlets produced no verified reporting that the USS Abraham Lincoln sustained deck damage.
Bottom line: The photo is a historical image of the USS Forrestal after the 1967 fire and is not evidence of damage to the USS Abraham Lincoln during 2026 operations.
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