Americans, Japanese pound mochi, strengthen bonds

U.S. Air Force Col. Michael Rothstein, 35th Fighter Wing commander, pounds mochi during the annual mochi pounding ceremony at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force gym, Misawa Air Base, Japan; Dec. 16, 2010. Mochi is a type of rice cake made by pounding steamed, glutinous rice in a large wooden mortar with a large wooden mallet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse/Released)

Airmen brave the cold to secure sculptures

Staff Sgt. Nathan Funkhouser walks through the Christmas in Ice Park Dec. 10, 2010, North Pole, Alaska. The 354th Logistics Readiness Squadron provided 42 nights of security to ensures the sculptures remained untouched. Sergeant Funkhouser is a 354th LRS Fuels Information Manager. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Janine Thibault)

Operation Christmas Drop: Airmen spread holiday cheer throughout the Yap Islands

Capt. Phillip Newman, a 36th Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules pilot from Yokota Air Base, Japan, looks out upon the Yap Islands during Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 14. Airmen from the 36th Wing, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam and the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, come together each year as a part of a training exercise to drop thousands of pounds of donated supplies over the Micronesian Islands. This year more than 60 boxes will be dropped to 55 Island weighing in at more than 20,000 pounds. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Nichelle Anderson)

Operation Christmas Drop: Airmen spread holiday cheer throughout the Yap Islands

Loadmasters from 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, Airman 1st Class Brandon Lee and Senior Airman Joseph Doria, review mission documents after completing airdrops over the Yap Islands of Woleai Falalop, Woleai Tagailap, Woleai Saliap, Woleai Wottegai, Woleai Falalis and Eauripik with a combined population of more than 1,140 people during Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 14. Airmen from the 36th Wing, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam and the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, come together each year as a part of a training exercise to drop thousands of pounds of donated supplies over the Micronesian Islands. This year more than 20,000 pounds of supplies, worth more than $93,000 will be dropped over 55 Micronesian Islands throughout the week. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Nichelle Anderson)

Operation Christmas Drop: Airmen spread holiday cheer throughout the Yap Islands

Airmen from the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, load boxes of donated goods worth more than $93,000 onto a C-130 Hercules prior to take-off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, during Operation Christmas Drop Dec. 14. This year more than 60 boxes will be dropped to 55 Island weighing in at more than 20,000 pounds. Operation Christmas Drop is the Air Force?s longest-running humanitarian which began in 1952. Airmen today continue the tradition delivering supplies to remote islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Yap, Palau, Chuuk and Pohnpei. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Nichelle Anderson)

Operation Christmas Drop: Airmen spread holiday cheer throughout the Yap Islands

An Airman from the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, loads boxes of humanitarian assistants goods onto a C-130 Hercules prior to take-off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 14. This year more than 60 boxes will be dropped to 55 Island weighing in at more than 20,000 pounds. Operation Christmas Drop is the Air Force?s longest-running humanitarian which began in 1952. Airmen today continue the tradition delivering supplies to remote islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Yap, Palau, Chuuk and Pohnpei. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Nichelle Anderson)