Friday, June 3, 2022

Christmas Drop.

This is coolbert:

Here with a story of weal during a time of woe.

Military forces USA on a benevolent mission. A now-yearly routine also providing excellent training for all participants. 

Operation Christmas Drop. Thanks to the story from the Internet web site of MarkoZen and thanks to same.

"For the last sixty eight years the US Air Force has been playing Santa Claus to some 20,000 people inhabiting dozens of tiny Micronesian islands spread across a vast area in the western Pacific Ocean. Each year in December, these islanders receive all sorts of gifts and useful supplies packed in approximately a hundred crates and dropped gently to earth on green military parachutes. Known as Operation Christmas Drop, this effort on the part of the United States Air Force has been called the 'longest running humanitarian mission in the world.'”


"All the gifts are donated by residents, civic organizations, military personnel and businesses of Guam, which are collected by private organization and the US Air Force, and then sorted and packed into boxes. The items sent to the Micronesian include fishing nets, construction materials, powdered milk, canned goods, rice, coolers, clothing, shoes, toys, school supplies and so on. The Air Force uses old parachutes that have outlived their military usefulness, but are still strong enough to support bundles weighing up to 500 pounds. The parachute is said to be the most important item on the bundle. Islanders use it for a variety of applications, from roofing their houses to covering their canoes."

Islanders of Micronesia those tiny fly-speck dots in the ocean OFTEN not receiving any visitors from the outside but once or twice a year! Donations as parachute air-dropped by the US Air Force a vital link to the rest of the world.

AND again, good training for pilots and enlisted aircrews both. ALSO yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus and not just tracked by NORAD!

coolbert.






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