Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Five Low-Cost, Low-Altitude humanitarian aid bundlesMerry Christmas Drop from Woleai
                        
                        
                        Five low-cost, low-altitude humanitarian-aid bundles are airdropped from a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules out of Yokota Air Base, Japan, during Operation Christmas Drop, Woleai, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 10, 2019. Every December, C-130 crews from the U.S. Air Force team up with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and Royal New Zealand Air Force for Operation Christmas Drop, a humanitarian aid and disaster relief training exercise designed to airdrop critical supplies to remote islands like Woleai throughout the FSM and the Republic of Palau. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Matthew Gilmore)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super HerculesMerry Christmas Drop from Woleai
                        
                        
                        A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules out of Yokota Air Base, Japan, delivers five low-cost, low-altitude humanitarian aid bundles filled with critical supplies as part of Operation Christmas Drop to the island of Woleai, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 10, 2019. In its 68th year, Operation Christmas Drop is the world’s longest running airdrop training mission, providing critical supplies to 55 remote Micronesian islands like Woleai, impacting approximately 20,000 people across 1.8 million square nautical miles of operating area. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Matthew Gilmore)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        A group of villagersMerry Christmas Drop from Woleai
                        
                        
                        A group of villagers work together to carry a low-cost, low-altitude humanitarian aid bundle through the jungle as part of Operation Christmas Drop, Woleai, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 10, 2019. Operation Christmas Drop serves as a training platform for the U.S. Air Force and its partners to better train for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief through the use of LCLA airdrops on unsurveyed drop zones throughout the Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Matthew Gilmore)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        A pair of village eldersMerry Christmas Drop from Woleai
                        
                        
                        A pair of village elders on the island of Woleai in the Federated States of Micronesia, sort through one of five low-cost, low-altitude bundles airdropped as part Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2019. Operation Christmas Drop serves as a training platform for the U.S. Air Force and its partners to better train for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief through the use of LCLA airdrops on unsurveyed drop zones throughout the Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Matthew Gilmore)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Operation Christmas Drop delivers critical supplies, holiday spiritPublished Dec. 12, 2019
                    
                    By Senior Airman Matthew Gilmore
                    
                    
                    374th Airlift Wing public affairs
            **ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (AFNS) --**“Santa 31 is headed your way!!”
For those on the island of Woleai, and other islands throughout the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau, it’s radio calls like that from the North Pole that make Christmas come a little early every year thanks to Santa’s C-130 Super Hercules from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, participating in Operation Christmas Drop.
“When we get that call saying it's our drop-day and word gets out, the island has a different feel to it,” said Allentino Riugiufmal, Northern Islands Central High School vice principal on Woleai. “The island just has this pure feeling of excitement that is shared across the community, like a child just waiting to see what’s under the tree.
“After the news is radioed in, it's just a matter of time before the only C-130 we see all year long (graces) our skies, delivering the bundles we’ve come to rely on throughout the years. When the day finally does come, and that plane is in the sky, it’s just like Christmas has come early.”
Now in its 68th year, Operation Christmas Drop has not only served as the world’s longest running airdrop training mission, providing critical supplies to 55 Micronesian islands like Woleia, but has also served as a coming together for elders and their communities on their respective islands across approximately 1.8 million square nautical miles throughout the Pacific.
It is that gathering of the elders that determines who gets what goods that has created so many memories for all who have shared in the Operation Christmas Drop magic, memories that have lasted almost as long as the event itself.
“Every Christmas drop is special for the island,” said Santos Bugoman, an 18-year resident of Woleai. “We all have our own memories of (Operation Christmas Drop’s) past. I got my first pair of shoes in one of my first Christmas drops and it’s something I will always remember and cherish. I wore them until I had completely outgrown them and blisters were forming because they were too small. Maybe I was being just a little bit sentimental, but they were so special to me I didn’t want to let go of them.”
While memories of toys and shoes are what the children cherish, for the elders it is the food, medicine and other supplies that have meant the most over the years.
“We all have childhood (memories) of seeing the planes fly over head,” Riugiufmal said. “As we each grew older, we truly understood how important (Operation Christmas Drop) is for the islands. These bundles have toys, yes, but they more importantly carry bags of rice to help feed the 500 villagers we have here. The parachutes and their rigging is used to make sails for our boats and the wire for our spear guns. Some of our bundles were sent solely for our school and contained the educational supplies our students need to thrive.
“Those items are what matter to us and what we appreciate most. Those items, and (Operation Christmas Drop) in general, is what brings us together as a community. I saw some school children saying “Thank you Christmas drop” for the camera. That does not do it justice. On behalf of everyone on this island, our Chiefs, our elders (and) our school children, thank you (Operation Christmas Drop), thank you for all that you have shared with us over the years.”LR 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



PACAF 



Pacific Air Forces 



Yokota AB 



Operation Christmas Drop 



Andersen AFB 



Woleai 



Federated States of Micronesia 



Republic of Palau 



C-130J 



Super Hercules 



Humanitarian 



training Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil