Photos: Operation Christmas Drop Delivers 77,300 Pounds of Aid, Ends with Elephant Walk

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

Seven C-130 airlifters from five countries lined up for an “elephant walk” on Guam and then flew alongside each other Dec. 14 to cap off Operation Christmas Drop. 

Every year, USAF and its allies drop thousands of pounds of food, clothes, medical supplies, fishing gear, and toys on remote Pacific island countries such as Micronesia and Palau, where locals often have trouble obtaining necessities. It is the Department of Defense’s longest running humanitarian airlift mission, and 2024 marked its 73rd year. 

The 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, led the operation. This year, they were joined by aircraft and personnel from the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Republic of Korea Air Force, and Japan Air Self-Defense Force. 

Members of the Philippine Air Force also helped to rig bundles for drops. 

Combined, more than 300 personnel helped drop approximately 77,300 pounds of supplies on more than 58 drop sites over the course of 224 flight hours. The operation ran from Dec. 8-14. 

And as has become tradition in the past few years, the participants celebrated the end of the exercise by gathering their C-130s on the runway at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, for a multinational elephant walk. In 2023, six aircraft from four countries participated. In 2022, seven aircraft from five nations were included. 

After that, the crews flew a mission together over the Pacific, practicing airdrops and coordination—highlighting the operational benefits of Operation Christmas Drop. 

“Building relationships is critical, especially considering the strategic focus on this part of the world,” Maj. Jon Balfe, commander of the OCD 24 Canadian Detachment, said in a release. “You can’t wait until a crisis happens to figure out how to work together. Flying, planning, and learning from each other now ensures we’re ready when it matters.” 

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org