Operation Christmas Drop is a tradition that started in 1952 that serves as a training mission for the U.S. Air Force.

The drop is the oldest ongoing Department of Defense mission which remains in full operation,[1] and the longest running humanitarian airlift in the world.

[5] Each box dropped from a C-130 aircraft weighs nearly 400 pounds (180 kg) and contains items such as fishing nets, construction materials, powdered milk, canned goods, rice, coolers, clothing, shoes, toys and school supplies.

When they saw the islanders waving to them, the crew quickly gathered some items they had on the plane, placed them in a container with a parachute attached and dropped the cargo as they circled again.

[3] The 2011 operation included dropping twenty five boxes of IV fluids to Fais Island in order to combat a local outbreak of dengue fever.

[citation needed] In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Micronesian president David Panuelo opted out of the 69th Operation Christmas Drop in 2020.

[19] According to master sergeant Anthony Biecheler, the drop will continue as planned over the Republic of Palau and the US Air Force has taken extensive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from the deliveries.

Nick Wilson, Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs / Published November 25, 2020 https://www.pacaf.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2428472/us-japan-to-kick-off-operation-christmas-drop-despite-covid-19/