Video

Video by Victoria Granado

Alaska National Guard - Operation Santa Claus gift transportation

Alaska National Guard

Dec. 2, 2021 | 6:14

Guardsmen unload pallets of gifts from an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft at Bethel, Alaska before they are loaded onto an HH-60 Black Hawk/CH-47 Chinook helicopter for further delivery to Buckland and Chevak as part of Operation Santa Claus 2021. Op Santa is an Alaska National Guard annual community outreach program that provides gifts, books, school supplies and stocking stuffers to children in rural Alaskan communities. This year marks the 65th year of the program, which began in 1956 after the village of St. Mary's experienced a year of hardship and the Alaska Air National Guard flew in gifts and supplies donated by the local community. The Alaska National Guard was able to continue the tradition this year and safely provide gifts despite COVID-19.