Pacific Air Forces

Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

Locals from the island of Fais recover and carry a low-cost, low-altitude bundle during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. Operation Christmas Drop is the Department of Defense's longest running humanitarian airdrop mission. This year marks the first ever trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force work together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais Island

A island child smiles in anticipation of gifts during Operation Christmas Drop at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015. A C-130 Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron delivered more than 800 pounds of supplies to Fais island during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. This year marks the first trilateral execution that includes air support from the Japan Air-Self Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais Island

Louis Mangtau, chief of Fais Island, smiles as he sorts through supplies that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau. This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais Island

Louis Mangtau, chief of Fais Island, smiles as he sorts through supplies that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau. This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais Island

Louis Mangtau, chief of Fais Island, sorts through supplies that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau. This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais Island

Villagers sort and load supplies that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau. This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

A local villager watches as Louis Mangtau, Chief of Fais Island, sorts through supplies that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau.This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

Louis Mangtau, Chief of Fais Island, sorts through supplies that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau. This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

A local villager waits while Louis Mangtau, Chief of Fais Island, sorts through supplies that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau.This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force.(U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais Island

Villages load and sort the donated supplies that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau. This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais Island

Louis Mangtau, chief of Fais Island, smiles as he sorts through supplies that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau. This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

Louis Mangtau, Chief of Fais Island, sorts through supplies that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau. This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

Island children look on with excitement as Louis Mangtau, Chief of Fais Island, sorts through supplies and gifts that were dropped during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau. This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

A C-130 Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron drops a bundles during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, at Fais island, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015. Airmen delivered over 800 pounds of supplies to the island of Fais during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. This year marks the first trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force work together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

Islanders on Fais island, Federated States of Micronesia, wave to the aircrew of a C-130 Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron after dropping a bundle of donated goods and supplies during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, Dec. 8, 2015. Airmen delivered over 800 pounds of supplies to the island of Fais during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. This year marks the first trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force work together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands impacting 20,000 islanders. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

A C-130 Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron drops a bundles during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015. Airmen delivered over 800 pounds of supplies to the island of Fais during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. This year marks the first trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force work together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

A low-cost, low-altitude bundle filled with donated goods and supplies drops on the island of Fais during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. Operation Christmas Drop is the Department of Defense's longest running humanitarian airdrop mission. This year marks the first ever trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force work together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

A man sets up a drop zone for a C-130 Hercules from the Yokota Air Base, Japan, Dec. 8, 2015, during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. A C-130H from the 36th Airlift Squadron delivered over 800 pounds of supplies to Fais island during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. This year marks the first ever trilateral execution that includes air support from the Japan Air-Self Defense force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwell to Fais island

A C-130 Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron flies over Fais Island, Dec. 8, 2015, during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. Airmen from the Yokota delivered over 800 pounds of supplies to the island of Fais during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. This year marks the first ever trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force work together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian Islands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

(Left) A Royal Australian Air Force C-130 J Super Hercules and a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules from the Yokota Air Base, Japan fly over Fais island, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015, during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. A Hercules assigned by the 36th Airlift Squadron delivered over 800 pounds of supplies to Fais Island during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. This year marks the first ever trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force work together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands.(U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

Islanders from Fais sit down to wait for the bundle drop during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015. A C-130 Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron delivered over 800 pounds of supplies to the island of Fais during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. This year marks the first ever trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force work together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwell to Fais island

A C-130 Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron drops a bundle filled with donated goods and supplies during Operation Christmas Drop 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015. Airmen delivered over 800 pounds of supplies to the island of Fais during the drop. This year marks the first trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force work together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands impacting 20,000 islanders. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

A fisherman carries tunas to a man's house at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015. In Fais, there are three villages and one head chief who is Louis Mangtau, he divides harvests evenly. No one can touch it until he’s finished. After that each village then takes its harvests to distribute among the families evenly. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

Louis Mangtau, Chief of Fais Island, talks at his house, Dec. 8, 2015, at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia. The Chief said, "I was kid, my father took me to the drop zone to watch U.S. aircraft dropped the box. That was so exciting moment. I still feel same when an aircraft flies over in this season." Operation Christmas Drop is a humanitarian/disaster relief training event where C-130 crews provide critical supplies to 56 islands throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

Kids sit under shade at Fais Island, Federated Sates of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015, during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. A C-130 Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron delivered more than 800 pounds of supplies to Fais island during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. This year marks the first trilateral execution that includes air support from the Japan Air-Self Defense force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

Nigh Hazong, 10, shows his smile under a coconut tree at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015 during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. Fais Island is a raised coral island in the eastern Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the FSM. Fais Island is located approximately 54 miles east of Ulithi Atoll and 156 miles northeast of Yap. This year marks the first trilateral execution that includes air support from the Japan Air-Self Defense force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

A child on Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015. A C-130 Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron delivered more than 800 pounds of supplies to Fais island during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. This year marks the first trilateral execution that includes air support from the Japan Air-Self Defense force and the Royal Australian Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

Aerial image of Fais Island, Ulithi Atoll, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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Air Force delivers hope and goodwill to Fais island

C-130s from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force park on the ramp at Andersen Air Force Base, Dec. 6, 2015 in preparation for Operation Christmas Drop. This year marks the 64th year of Operation Christmas Drop and the first trilateral execution of Department of Defense's longest running humanitarian airdrop mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)

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USAF delivers hope, goodwill to Fais Island during Operation Christmas Drop

Published Dec. 18, 2015
By Osakabe Yasuo
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

FAIS ISLAND, Federated States of Micronesia -- Locals from the island of Fais recover and carry a low-cost, low-altitude bundle during Operation Christmas Drop 2015. Operation Christmas Drop is the Department of Defense's longest running humanitarian airdrop mission. This year marks the first ever trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force work together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo/Released)