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Multinational “elephant walk” culminate Operation Christmas
Recently taken at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, the cool photos in this post show a multinational formation of C-130J Super Hercules and C-130H Hercules aircraft from the US Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Royal Australian Air Force culminated Operation Christmas Drop with an “elephant walk.”
As told by Master Sgt. Nathan Allen, 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, in the article Santa’s Grey Sleigh Arrives Early in the Pacific as OCD 24 Kicks Off, high above the Pacific, Santa’s grey sleighs roared to life Dec. 8 as C-130 aircrews from five allied nations began dropping humanitarian-like aid bundles as part of Operation Christmas Drop (OCD) 2024.
The annual mission, now in its 73rd year, brought together aircrews from the United States, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and Canada to deliver supplies and holiday cheer to remote Pacific islands while providing airlift training and enhancing multinational interoperability through combined airlift operations.
The mission’s commemorative “Push Ceremony,” held Dec. 9, symbolically marked the start of the airdrop operations already underway.
With OCD 2024 now in full swing, Capt. Miranda Bapty, mission commander, emphasized the importance of teamwork and international cooperation in making such a large-scale operation a success.
“This mission works because of the incredible teamwork between so many different groups,” Bapty said. “You’ve got aircrews from five countries, volunteers packing bundles, and people behind the scenes making it all happen. It’s inspiring to see everyone come together for a shared purpose, and seeing those first bundles drop really makes all the hard work worth it.”
Brother Bruce
During the ceremony, Vincent Mut-Tracy, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in the Federated States of Micronesia, emphasized how the mission fosters regional unity and delivers tangible support to those in need.
“Operation Christmas Drop truly captures the Christmas spirit,” he said. “There are many reasons why Operation Christmas Drop is the longest-running humanitarian airlift operation for the Department of Defense…this is a special opportunity that unites everyone in the region and strengthens our partnerships, and it makes a huge difference to those living in the other islands. From our friends in the federal states of Micronesia and Palau, to our military leaders and allies in Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Canada…thank you all for your contribution to not only conduct this operation, but also increase our preparedness and readiness to respond in event of a natural disaster or crisis.”
Bruce Best, more commonly known locally as “Brother Bruce,” also spoke at the ceremony and has been a longstanding figure within OCD circles for nearly 40 years. Best serves as a liaison between Guam and the remote island communities that benefit from the operation to ensure that they receive supplies each year.
“It’s great to be alive every year and to see this amazing 73rd year of Operation Christmas Drop,” he said. “It’s always wonderful to see our partners coming together to ensure the success of this mission. From Palau to the Federated States of Micronesia, everyone is thrilled by the generosity and dedication that makes this mission possible.”
More than delivering supplies
Having been part of multiple iterations of the operation, Bapty said the heart of OCD is about more than delivering supplies — it’s about sending a message to people who live in some of the most remote communities within the Indo-Pacific theater.
“I hope every islander who gets a bundle knows how much love goes into every one,” she said. “People from all over the world came together to make this happen because we care. For so many of us, the highlight of our year is seeing the islander’s messages and hearing them on the radio! We are so incredibly proud and honored to be a part of this mission.”
Operation Christmas Drop
Operation Christmas Drop is the Department of Defense’s longest-running humanitarian airlift operation. The tradition began during the Christmas season in 1952 when a B-29 Superfortress aircrew saw islanders waving at them from the island of Kapingamarangi, 3,500 miles southwest of Hawaii. In the spirit of Christmas the aircrew dropped a bundle of supplies attached to a parachute to the islanders below, giving the operation its name. Today, air drop operations include more than 50 islands throughout the Pacific.
Operation Christmas Drop is a PACAF event which includes a partnership between the 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan; the 36th Wing, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; 734th Air Mobility Squadron, Andersen AFB of the 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; the University of Guam; and the ‘Operation Christmas Drop’ private organization which leads the fundraising and donations for the operation. Andersen is used as a “base camp” to airlift the donated goods to islanders throughout Micronesia.
Utilizing the Denton Program, which allows private U.S. citizens and organizations to use space available on U.S. military cargo planes to transport humanitarian goods to countries in need, the C-130J Super Hercules crews airdrop food, supplies, educational materials, and toys to islanders throughout the Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau. These islands are some of the most remote locations on the globe spanning a distance nearly as broad as the continental US.
Providing critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands
Months leading up the drop dates volunteers create donation drop-off boxes and raise money from local businesses and citizens. A week before the drop, volunteer Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, civilians, contractors and families assist in picking up and sorting the donations. After the goods are sorted, riggers from Yokota and Andersen volunteers build dozens of boxes to hold the materials, most containing school supplies, clothing, rice, fishing equipment and toys.
Each year, the Christmas drops serve as a proving ground for the techniques used and shared with regional partners in preparation for response to natural disasters all too common across this region.
Air crews are linked to the village via ham radio as they fly overhead and drop supplies. The event provides readiness training to participating aircrew, allowing them to gain experience in conducting airdrops while providing critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands impacting about 20,000 people; ultimately it’s a profound win for everyone involved.
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force
