Airmen ‘drop’ in to help islanders

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Karen J. Tomasik
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) --  Airmen from here and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam -- and people from surrounding communities -- teamed to airlift Christmas supplies to people at more than 50 Micronesian islands.

The effort was the 53rd anniversary of the Christmas Drop mission.

Three C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 36th Airlift Squadron flew to Andersen Nov. 28 and 29 to prepare the aircraft and crews for the drop. They would load and airdrop more than 50 boxes of Christmas gifts and supplies to the islands through Dec. 7.

This year’s mission is significant to many islanders. The 2004 mission was cut short by a typhoon. The rescheduled return mission after Christmas was cancelled due to the tsunami relief in Southeast Asia.

“Christmas Drop is vital to the islanders who have no regular resupply route,” said Capt. Mike McVay, the 36th Air Expeditionary Wing Christmas Drop chairman.

“People from all over Guam donate goods such as tools, clothes, canned goods, toys and even vegetable seeds all year leading up to the drops,” he said. “I’ve had several folks tell me about when they received goods back when they lived in the Micronesian islands and they want to continue helping the islanders living there today.”

The Christmas Drop tradition has another benefit. It serves as a semi-annual training mission that started in 1952. Then, a WB-50 aircrew of the 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron -- then assigned to Andersen -- was flying a mission south of Guam over Kapingamaringi and saw islanders waving to them. The crew quickly gathered various items they had on the plane, placed them in a container with a parachute attached and dropped the cargo as they circled again.

“We’re honored to be a part of this great mission,” said Lt. Col Andrew McIntyre, the airlift squadron director of operations and Christmas Drop detachment commander. “We have an opportunity to deliver vital goods from the communities in Guam to the islanders and provide our aircrews with a variety of training in a non-traditional environment.”

Each box dropped weighs nearly 400 pounds and contains fishing nets, tools, canned goods, drinking water, rice, coolers, clothing, toys and school supplies. Guam businesses and residents donate many of the goods. The Christmas Drop committee buys items with money from fund-raisers held throughout the year.

“The numerous donations from the people of Guam were a huge part of putting this mission together,” Captain McVay said. “We received more than $8,000 in cash donations, $1,000 in fishing nets, 40 cases of water, 60 tri-wall boxes, eight pallets of food and another 18 boxes of various donations from the community.

“We are grateful to have Yokota’s C-130 aircraft complete the mission by dropping all the supplies to the islanders,” he said.

The annual mission affects many people, not just the islanders.

“I’ve been able to participate in the Christmas Drop mission for several years,” said Staff Sgt. Bobby Cordell, a squadron loadmaster. “It’s a great feeling knowing that we are often delivering the only supplies many of these islanders receive each year.”

Col. Kevin Kilb, the 374th Operations Group commander, flew several of the airdrop missions. He praised the Airmen involved in making the mission happen.

“It is our honor to participate in goodwill missions like this,” the colonel said. “We knew the great team effort by Andersen and Yokota was noticed when the Andersen wing commander and command chief came out to see what we do.”

The colonel said it was obvious everyone from the 36th Airlift Squadron, 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron’s combat mobility element, 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 374th Operations Support Squadron knew the importance of the mission.

“It really is our privilege to continue this 53-year tradition,” Colonel Kilb said.