Samara Nigl of Serra Mesa said the hardest part of her husband’s deployment on the USS Carl Vinson was when she heard some “propaganda” that the aircraft carrier was under attack.

Dr. Tamsen LaDou (right), a psychologist, resiliency counselor, hugs Deanna Chase after coming off the Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone

An hour later, she learned that the report was bogus. Alex was safe.

About 10 a.m. Friday, Samara had Alex in her arms as 6,500 service members in the Carl Vinson Strike Group returned to Coronado and Naval Base San Diego after more than five months at sea.

Mothers said they prayed day and night, and wives kept their heads above water looking after children and ruling the roost as the group’s deployment was extended a month.

Traveling from as far away as Connecticut, friends and family cheered and held hand-made signs at Naval Air Station North Island.

Some family members were unnerved by their loved ones being sent to the Sea of Japan to act as a deterrent against North Korean aggression in the Sea of Japan.

Family members cheer as they spot Constantino Medina, a sailor on the Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone

Rear Adm. James Kilby said dockside that part of their mission was to reassure allies in the Indo-Asian-Pacific region, and “we probably did it too good because we got extended for a month.”

Samara Nigl said the “big safety risk” was when President Trump announced that “an armada” was en route to Korea. (The strike group was in reality headed to Australia.)

Family members aren’t allowed to disclose where ships are, so she thought making the location public wasn’t in the crews’ best interest.

Nigl delivered her newest child, Talia, in February while Alex was in Guam.

“He’s really good with the kids,” she said, so she looking forward to his help.

Alex Bowen is greeted by his elated wife, Presley, at the USS Carl Vinson homecoming. Photo by Chris Stone

Nigl told how she felt when it she heard about the extended deployment: “That hurt; I cried.”

Dee Valverde, whose son was serving on the Vinson, also had her anxious moments.

“I couldn’t wait until he got here,” she said dockside watching her son and his wife embrace. “I was in tears all day. It’s wonderful.”

Hearing that the deployment was extended and that the Vinson was heading for Korea — “That’s what killed me.”

“All I did was pray, day and night, and on Facebook I asked people to pray for my son,” Valverde said.

At the end of each message to her son, she added, “May the angels surround you, your shipmates and your captains.”

Melissa Robledo delivered her 3-month-old daughter, Nevaeh (heaven backwards), without her husband, Nicholas, nearby.

Nicholas had requested an early leave to see his baby being born, but world tensions intervened and the leave was canceled, she said.

Like all other mothers interviewed, Robledo said she just wanted to spend time with him – and have him help with the kids.

Petty Officer Timothy Stralka and girlfriend Amber Richmond lock eyes as they spot each other in the crowd. Photo by Chris Stone

Nicholas Robledo’s father, Sal, said deployments never get easier. “But I know that he’s protected well. I miss him. We are very close. He’s my hero.”

The Vinson and an escorting destroyer, the USS Wayne E. Meyer, left Jan. 5 and the cruiser USS Lake Champlain followed a day later.

The ships and their crews took part in several exercises with the navies of allied nations and provided a show of force in the Sea of Japan during a time of heightened tensions with North Korea.

“That’s what we’re trained to do — that’s what your Navy does every day,” said Kilby, who commanded the force. “I felt very confident in the flight deck, the air wing, the crews, the ships — I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

The Lake Champlain, which honors a decisive naval battle in the War of 1812, was involved in a non-injury collision with a South Korean fishing vessel that U.S. officials said ignored radio warnings and a horn blast during a time of limited visibility. The cruiser suffered a small dent when struck by the bow of the fishing boat in the May 9 incident.

About 5,000 servicemen and family members aboard the USS Carl Vinson pull up to Naval Air Station North Island. Photo by Chris Stone

The Vinson, named after a Georgian who served in Congress for more than 50 years, is best known as the vessel that received the body of Osama bin Laden after he was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in Pakistan in 2011.

The Wayne E. Mayer is named for an admiral considered to be the father of the Aegis air defense system used by naval vessels.

Two squadrons of helicopters that served aboard the vessels during the deployment flew in to Naval Air Station North Island on Thursday.

During the deployment 819,711 meals were served (including more than a million eggs, 10,880 lobster tails and 94,000 pounds of chicken), the Navy said.

More than 12,000 haircuts were given, 158,471 pounds of laundry was cleaned, 739 teeth were filled and 311 were extracted, and 8,499 sorties were flown.

— City News Service contributed to this report.

Shannette Abney and her son wait for her husband to return from his first deployment on the USS Carl Vinson. “It’s been rough,” she said. Photo by Chris Stone
USS Carl Vinson servicemen and women greeted their family dockside in Coronado. Photo by Chris Stone
Nicholas Robledo meets his 3-month-old daughter, Nevaeh. Photo by Chris Stone
Alex Nigl holds his daughter, Talia, who was born Feb. 10 when the ship was in Guam. Photo by Chris Stone
Bradley Fulling meets his son, Julian, who was born in March. Photo by Chris Stone
Carl Vinson Commanding Officer Capt. Douglas C. Verissimo (left) and Rear Admiral James Kilby met with the media at dockside. Photo by Chris Stone
Rear Admiral James W. Kilby, commander of the Carrier Strike Group 1, addresses the media after the Carl Vinson returned home to Coronado. Photo by Chris Stone
Melissa Robledo and her father-in-law, Sal Robledo, wait dockside for the return of husband and son, Nicholas. Photo by Chris Stone
Children hold a banner and wait anxiously for their father. Photo by Chris Stone
Alex Torres is greeted by his grandmother, Ana Rodriquez, after he disembarked the USS Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone
Children wait on the other side of dockside fence to see their father arrive. Photo by Chris Stone
About 5,000 servicemen and family members aboard the USS Carl Vinson pull up to Naval Air Station North Island. Photo by Chris Stone
About 5,000 servicemen and family members aboard the USS Carl Vinson pull up to Naval Air Station North Island. (File photo by Chris Stone)
About 5,000 servicemen and family members aboard the USS Carl Vinson pull up to Naval Air Station North Island. Photo by Chris Stone
Family members gathered across the street to await their loved ones’ arrival on the USS Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone
A woman holding two signs greets her sailor who just came off the Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris stone
Marchon Hunter is greeted by his mother, Shalando. Photo by Chris Stone
Petty Officer Timothy Stralka and girlfriend Amber Richmond lock eyes as they spot each other in the crowd. Photo by Chris Stone
Leonard Caparatta is greeted by his two daughters. Photo by Chris Stone
A sailor connects via cellphone with loved ones as sailors wait to disembark the USS Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone
The USS Carl Vinson homecoming brought smiles, tears to sailors and their families. Photo by Chris Stone
Alex Bowen is greeted by his elated wife, Presley, at the USS Carl Vinson homecoming. Photo by Chris Stone
A sailor from the Carl Vinson gets a welcome home hug after arriving at Coronado. Photo by Chris Stone
A woman waits anxiously for sailors to disembark the Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone
A son is happy to leave Coronado with his father who returned from a deployment on the Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone
Dr. Tamsen LaDou, (right) a psychologist, resiliency counselor, hugs Deanna Chase after coming off of the Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone
Dr. Tamsen LaDou, (right) a psychologist, resiliency counselor, reacts to seeing her daughter, Julie, at the Carl Vinson homecoming.
A young girl clings to her father at the USS Carl Vinson homecoming in Coronado. Photo by Chris Stone
Adeola Aderibole is greeted with flowers after disembarking the USS Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone
Kimberly Seavey greets Tyler Seavey dockside at the USS Carl Vinson homecoming. Photo by Chris Stone
Constantino Medina is welcomed by his mother, Bertha, and other family members. Photo by Chris Stone
Family members cheer as they spot MM1 Constantino Medina, a sailor on the Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone
A sailor greets members of his family after disembarking the Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone
Sailor Miles Valverde is greeted by his wife, Liz, and his mother, Dee, share a family moment after he disembarked the Carl Vinson. Photo by Chris Stone
Derius Johnson meets his 3-month-old daughter, Nora. “She looks like me. It’s crazy,” he said. Photo by Chris Stone
A man holding a sign waits for a sailor on the Carl Vinson to return. Photo by Chris Stone