The Operation Christmas Drop 2012 patch is displayed on the arm of Capt. Anthony Felix, an instructor pilot from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, as he takes off to begin an OCD delivery flight from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 12, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie/Released)

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C-130 loadmasters from the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, begin air drop delivery of a pallet over Mokil Island as part of Operation Christmas Drop 2012, Dec. 12, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie/Released)

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Residents of the Island of Mokil wave to the C-130 crew from Yokota Air Base, Japan after successfully receiving their air dropped humanitarian aid package as part of Operation Christmas Drop Dec. 12, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie/Released)

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Senior Airman Benjamin Shest, an instructor loadmaster from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, provides coordinates via radio to the C-130 aircraft commander for proper alignment over Mokil Island prior to delivering humanitarian aid bundles as part of Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 12, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie/Released)

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Two packages land on the runway at Pingelap Island, part of Pohnpei State of the Federated States of Micronesia, after a successful air drop during Operation Christmas Drop Dec. 12, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

Pilots from the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, perform in-flight checks prior to their departure for an Operation Christmas Drop delivery flight Dec. 14, 2012, from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

Loadmasters from the 36th Airlift Squadron inspect pallets for their Operation Christmas Drop delivery Dec. 14, 2012, from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

Senior Airman Timothy Oberman, 36th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, inspects each pallet for their Operation Christmas Drop delivery from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 14, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

Maj. Ricardo Lopez, 374th Airlift Wing, watches as Senior Airman Timothy Oberman, 36th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, inspects each pallet during their Operation Christmas Drop delivery from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 14, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

Senior Airman Timothy Oberman, 36th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, left, and Staff Sgt. Nick Alarcon, 36th Airlift Squadron instructor loadmaster, watch after pushing a box of humanitarian assistance goods out of a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules during an Operation Christmas Drop flight from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 14, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

Senior Airman Timothy Oberman, 36th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, looks over an island after helping push a box of humanitarian assistance goods out of a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules during an Operation Christmas Drop flight from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 14, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

A Federated States of Micronesia island is seen in the distance as a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules turns back to ensure reception of a box of humanitarian assistance goods during an Operation Christmas Drop flight from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 14, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

A box of humanitarian assistance goods is pushed out the back of a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules during an Operation Christmas Drop flight from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 14, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

Loadmasters from the 36th Airlift Squadron look out the back of a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules after dropping a box of humanitarian assistance goods during a Operation Christmas Drop flight from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 14, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

Staff Sgt. Nick Alarcon, 36th Airlift Squadron instructor loadmaster, inspects the last box of humanitarian assistance goods prior to its airdrop during an Operation Christmas Drop flight from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 14, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop

Staff Sgt. Nick Alarcon, 36th Airlift Squadron instructor loadmaster, looks out the back of a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules after dropping a box of humanitarian assistance goods during an Operation Christmas Drop flight from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 14, 2012. Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop 2012

12/13/2012 - Senior Airman Timothy Oberman, left, and Staff Sgt. Nick Alarcon, loadmasters with the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, watch out the back of a C-130H aircraft after dropping the first pallet of humanitarian goods to the island of Ulal Dec. 11, 2012. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Samuel Morse/Released)

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Operation Christmas Drop 2012

Published Dec. 12, 2012
By Senior Airman Carlin Leslie
36th Wing Public Affairs

Senior Airman Carlin Leslie -- Members of the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, air drop deliveries to Pingelap Island and Mokil Island on the second day of Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 12, 2012.

Each year OCD provides aid to more than 30,000 islanders in Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Marshall Islands and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This year is the 61st anniversary of OCD, making it the longest running humanitarian mission in the world. In total, there are eight planned days of air drops, with 54 islands scheduled to receive humanitarian aid.