Operation Christmas Drop is underway, with its push ceremony held at Andersen Air Force Base on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Yigo.
HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The official kickoff for the 73rd annual Operation Christmas Drop took place Monday morning at Andersen Air Force Base, with a ceremony featuring speeches and the first official box push of the operation.
Operation Christmas Drop, a long-standing tradition of humanitarian aid, began in 1952 on the remote island of Kapingamarangi and has since grown into a global effort. Each year, U.S. Air Force aircraft drop boxes of supplies to isolated islands across the Pacific, ensuring that essential goods such as food, tools and medical equipment reach communities that would otherwise have limited access to such resources.
Bruce Best, known as Brother Bruce, the Operation Christmas Drop spokesperson, has been a key figure in the operation for 45 years. Speaking at the ceremony, Best reflected on the significance of the event and the people it serves.
“This is the 73rd year of Operation Christmas Drop. I was only 5 years old when it started in 1952 on the little island of Kapingamarangi,” said Best. “The U.S. Air Force has been incredible in making sure they come every year, despite challenges in the Pacific. This year, we are lucky to have five partner countries involved: the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia and Korea.”
Best explained that this year’s operation would cover 58 islands, some of the most remote places on Earth, spread across 3 million square miles. The operation has already begun, with six planes in the air as of Sunday, delivering supplies from Kapingamarangi Atoll to Palau and throughout the Chuuk and Yap regions.
“This year is going to be a great year,” Best said. “Not only do we have the five partners, but we’re also sending out 220 boxes, our maximum capacity. That means everyone gets maximum support.”
“The community in Guam has been so generous with donations. We’ve got lifesaving equipment for the canoes, for their everyday life, everything from fishhooks to dive equipment to toys for the kids for Christmas,” said Best.
According to Best, the community support in Guam plays a crucial role in the operation’s success, with donations flooding in from local groups and businesses.
Best mentioned the resilience of the island communities, noting that they had faced many challenges this year, including droughts and storms. “They’re really looking forward to this drop,” he added.
For the islanders, the arrival of the C-130 aircraft is a much-anticipated event. Best described the scene when the planes approach, saying, “When the C-130 comes over with its four big engines, that’s Christmas. It doesn’t matter what day it is, there’s no school. The whole village is on the beach. That is Operation Christmas Drop.”
