Operation Christmas Drop 2024: 'Good people doing good things'

By Joseph Meyers

Major Zeb “Spades” Kimball, flight instructor and pilot, summed up the biggest takeaway from the 73rd annual Operation Christmas Drop on Dec. 11: “It’s a reminder that there are genuinely good people who want to do good things. And that kind of energy is contagious.”

The crew delivered eight bundles of humanitarian aid to Eauripik and Ifalik in Yap.

The airlift, which runs from Dec. 8 to 13 this year and takes off from Andersen Air Force Base, is the Pentagon’s longest running humanitarian airlift operation.

The mission utilizes C-130 aircraft visiting from the 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota, SB, Japan.

The operation includes participating units from across the Pacific. It has also expanded into four other participating countries: Canada  Japan, South Korea and Australia.

The entire operation includes 28 different humanitarian flights across the Pacific, dropping donated items such as toys, medical supplies and food. 

Across the flight line at Andersen this week, you could see the various flags of the participating countries on the side of the aircraft, instead of just the usual American Flag.

During the Dec. 11 mission, Kimball also served as a flight instructor for pilot Capt. Alex Dillenbeck. 

Both seemed to enjoy the positive vibes of the mission while operating with the radio call sign “Santa 41” and sporting Santa hats while piloting their C-130 Hercules aircraft. 

But the type of airdrops required made it challenging while training due to the requirement for dynamic problem solving, according to Kimball. 

“That is a very difficult thing to do in a training environment. So that is valuable to the development of our young aircrew,” he said.

That seemed to be the case during the mission, as multiple low passes were made over each island before the final run and airdrop were completed.

While passing over Eauripik, the islanders had spelled out “Merry Christmas” using palm leaves on the beach and left a flag for the location of the drop.

 There was no requirement for where the airplanes were to drop as each island used its signals for the requested location. It’s up to the aircrew to determine how and where to make the drop. 

During the final drop at Ifalik, the islanders had placed life vests in the water as the drop spot.  Immediately after the pallets hit the water, several power boats motored to pick them up.

Then it’s back to bases for the crew and onto the next mission. While the operation provides aid for the islands, community relations for the military, and training opportunities, it also brings morale to all the units and people involved.

Operation Christmas Drop ends on Dec. 14, at AAFB with an aircraft parade dubbed “Aircraft Elephant Walk.”

Earlier this week, the Joint Task Force Micronesia reported that the Department of Defense received $117,000 in donations, 110,000 lbs. of gifts and supplies packed in 220 boxes for distribution to 60 islands.

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