For thousands of people across dozens of islands in the Pacific, Santa drives a US military C-130 Super Hercules in 'Operation Christmas Drop'
Operation Christmas Drop, which began during the holiday season in 1952 as a spur-of-the-moment decision by a B-29 Superfortress crew, is the Department of Defense's longest-running humanitarian airlift operation.
Now in its 67th year, the OCD mission is supported by the US Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, as well as members of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force. It serves over 50 remote islands in the Pacific.
Source: Indo-Pacific Command
The first drop all those years ago began with a B-29 crew dropping supplies to waving locals on Kapingamarangi island. The program now helps tens of thousands of people living on 56 islands across an area of 1.8 million square nautical miles annually.
Source: Indo-Pacific Command
US military C-130J Super Hercules aircrews conduct low-cost, low-altitude drops, with parachuted packages touching down on land or at sea, the latter sometimes being necessary to avoid unintended damage to the environment or property.
Source: Andersen Air Force Base
For OCD 2018, military and civilian organizers collected 62,000 pounds of food, clothing, and other supplies for around 30,000 islanders.
Source: US Navy
"My father experienced this drop when he was a little kid back in '77, I believe, and in that drop, he got his first pair of shoes," airman Brandon Phillip recently said. "I get to give back to my dad's island while serving my country. It just makes it all special."
Source: Department of Defense
Many military personnel and civilian volunteers work for months putting together packages for the annual OCD drops across the Pacific.
Source: US Navy
The OCD supply drop came a little over a month after the Marianas were hammered by the 180 mph winds of Super Typhoon Yutu, the worst storm to hit any part of the US since 1935.
Source: The Washington Post
The islanders use every part of the delivery, including the parachutes and parachute cords. They reportedly use the parachutes to make boat sails.
Source: Stars and Stripes
"This is what Christmas is for," Bruce Best, who has been part of the OCD mission for four decades, told Stars and Stripes. "When they hear the rumble of the plane engines, that’s Christmas."
Source: Stars and Stripes
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