Volunteers build boxes for Operation Christmas Drop

  • Published
  • By By Airman 1st Class Jonathan Hart
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  Twenty-seven boxes in approximately 27 minutes - that's how strong the volunteer effort was Nov. 17 when the first box build-up for Operation Christmas Drop 2007 kicked off.

"We had more than fifty volunteers, and everyone pitched in to get the job done," said Capt. Adam Rector, a member of the 36th Munitions Squadron and vice president for the operation.

Every year in December, Team Andersen and the 36th Airlift Squadron from Yakota AB, Japan, drop humanitarian supplies donated by the Guam community over the Micronesian Islands as part of a training exercise. Fishing nets, tools, construction materials, school supplies, shoes, toys and clothing are dropped in boxes weighing nearly 400 pounds from a C-130 Hercules to aid the people of the smaller islands which do not have airstrips or major ports.

"The common misconception among people is that Operation Christmas Drop is about dropping toys," said Captain Rector. "However, toys make up only approximately five percent of the supplies that are dropped. The other ninety-five percent is made up of supplies the islanders need to survive from one year to the next, such as food and tools."

Most of the supplies dropped are donated by people in the local community, but some are purchased using donations from the Andersen Officers Spouses Club, the base Chapel, and other organizations on and off base.

The materials used to build the boxes are also donated.

"We got cardboard boxes from DeWitt Moving Company and pallets from the 36th Civil Engineer Squadron," Captain Rector said. "We also purchased some tools for the build-up with donated funds - they should be here soon."

According to most people who know about Operation Christmas Drop, it began in 1952, when the aircrew of a WB-50 assigned to the 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (assigned to Andersen at that time) was flying a mission over the Polynesian island of Kapingamarangi. They noticed islanders waving to their aircraft and decided to drop them a gift. The aircraft circled around the island a second time and dropped a canister of tools and supplies attached to a parachute.

Dr. John Treiber, 36th Wing historian, said we can't be sure this story is true. There have been no documents presented to him to back the story up about Kapingamarangi. There are, however, documents that refer to an Operation Santa Clause which occurred in 1952 when toys and clothing items were dropped over Tinian and Saipan. There's also an article in the 1956 winter edition of "Tropic Topics," the base newspaper at that time, suggesting the drop began in 1947 when the wives of a WB-29 (not a WB-50) crew decided to drop clothing on the Micronesian atolls after hearing stories of half-naked natives wandering around the islands.

Regardless of when the first drop was, the important thing cannot be forgotten -- bringing the community together to help out the people of nearby islands is a great way to build holiday spirit.

The box build-up will continue every Saturday until Dec. 8. Donations can be made at Four Seasons and the Commissary on Andersen. The first drop will occur on Dec. 14 with a push-off ceremony Dec. 12.