SHAKO: Christmas Countdown

’tis the Season.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, U.S. military installations across the country and around the globe have been getting the Christmas spirit and preparing for the Holiday Season. Here are some highlights.

December 2, Colorado

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Matthew Coleman-Foste)

Air Force Airman 1st Class Vincent Henderson, left, and Staff Sergeant Alex Peffer put holiday lights on a tree at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado.

December 3, North Carolina

(U.S. Army photo by Specialist Justin W. Stafford)

An Army paratrooper conducts a jumpmaster personnel inspection during the inaugural All American Presents from Paratroopers event at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Paratroopers participating in the event donated toys for a chance to jump from a helicopter and earn foreign jump wings.

December 4, Louisiana

(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lillian Miller)

Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Matt Baker, commander of the 96th Bomb Squadron, holds his son in front of a Chrstmas tree at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

December 7, Guam

(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Michael Murphy)

U.S. military personnel aren’t the only ones spreading the joy, here is Master Sergeant Koji Okunoapan of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force adding clothes to a package at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, for Operation Christmas Drop. U.S., Japanese, Australian and New Zealand airmen participated in the 2019 charity operation.

December 7, West Virginia.

(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Damaris Arias)

Marine Corps Sergeant Blake Mayo, left, and Corporal Eli Drake receive toys from community members during a Toys for Tots event at Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia. Both Marines are combat engineers assigned to the 4th Combat Engineer Battalion. The Toys for Tots program is run by the Marine Corps Reserve, which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by Major Bill Hendricks, a Marine reservist.

December 10, Micronesia

(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Matthew Gilmore)

An Air Force C-130J Super Hercules delivers humanitarian aid bundles filled with needed supplies to Woleai, Micronesia, as part of Operation Christmas Drop, the Defense Department’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. 

December 15, Italy

(U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Charest)

Sailors with the U.S. Naval Forces Europe Band perform during the holiday concert at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy.

December 15, California

(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Andrew Cortez)

Service members and their families sprint from the starting line during the Santa Run at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.

December 18, Germany

(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Sinthia Rosario)

Children receive toys donated by U.S. service members and NATO allies and partners during an event in Alzey, Germany.

And back to Colorado, Christmas Eve …

(2013 NORAD photo by Master Sergeant Charles Marsh)

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (a joint U.S.-Canadian operation) tracks every aircraft that flies over North America — including, once a year, a certain magical sleigh.

Volunteer trackers, like Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Roderick Schwald in this 2013 photo, answer calls from children and parents across the globe while the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center on Peterson Air Force

For more than 60 years, NORAD has followed Santa on his around-the-world journey from the North Pole, with radar, satellites and Santacams.

Santa Baby, the Man with the Bag, the Fat Man is coming, so try to be good for another day.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night, from the 4GWAR Blog!

FRIDAY FOTO (January 6, 2017)

Herculean View.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Elizabeth Baker)
This aircrew aboard a C-130 Hercules circling over a remote island in Micronesia last month appear to have the have the best seat in the house. Assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron,  the crew was practicing airdrop procedures December 5, 2016 during Operation Christmas Drop. Each year Operation Christmas Drop provides tools, food, clothing and toys to over 30,000 islanders in the Pacific.

In addition to highlighting the complicated cockpit technology — with the heavenly view — we thought this photo and the operation it illustrates  was a suitable holiday season subject for today, January 6 — Three Kings Day. Also known as the feast of the Magi or Epiphany, the holiday is also celebrated in many countries as the last day of the Christmas season (the 12th Day of Christmas, as in the song).

FRIDAY FOTO (December 27, 2013)

Santa Flight

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Marianique Santos

Some of Santa’s helpers discus flight plans over the Pacific Ocean during Operation Christmas Drop.

Maj. John Chrampanis, a C-130 Hercules aircraft commander with the 36th Airlift Squadron speaks with Capt. Michael Kelly, a C-130 pilot with the 36th AS. Both pilots are stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

This year marked the 61st anniversary of the holiday mission delivering gifts and supplies to more than 30,000 islanders on Chuuk, Palau, Yap, the Marshall Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Airman for the 36th Wing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as well as family members, local volunteers and airmen from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota, kicked off the mission December 11. Packages of toys, clothing, fishing equipment, sporting goods, food items, tools and other items were airdropped from C-130 Hercules aircraft to 54 islands.

To see more photos of the holiday mission, click here.

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