Netflix's newest holiday movie, Operation Christmas Drop, is packed with delightful antics and cliches, but it's more than just another festive romance.
The film, which debuted on November 5, shines a light on a longstanding Christmas tradition carried out by the U. S. Air Force.
Parts of the movie are made up, like the congressional aide assigned to shut down underperforming Air Force bases, but the heart of the film is based on reality.
The humanitarian mission, which shares its name with the Netflix film, started in 1952, making it the longest-running U. S, reports Surrey Live.
Department of Defense mission still in operation and the world's longest ongoing humanitarian airlift. It all began quite unexpectedly: In 1952, an aircrew noticed a group of people on the island of Kapingamarangi waving at them.
In return, the crew dropped a box of supplies attached to a parachute, and this tradition has been kept alive ever since.
The film covers the basics: Service personnel at Andersen Air Force Base and Yokota Air Base package donations from local businesses and residents in Guam, ranging from bags of rice to toys. After attaching parachutes to containers filled with up to 400 pounds of supplies, they fly over more than 50 remote islands in Micronesia, delivering a range of supplies to around 20,000 residents.
These supplies are a lifeline for the locals, sustaining them throughout the year: The rice bags can feed up to 500 people and the parachutes can be repurposed as sails for their boats, as reported by Military.com.
In preparation for the annual Christmas drop, the U. S. Air Force relies on the generosity of local businesses - some contribute monetary donations, others leave gifts at designated drop-off points, and hundreds of locals volunteer their time to sort and package donations at the base. Some years see more specific efforts, like in 2011 when they air-dropped 25 boxes of IV fluids on Fais Island to combat a dengue fever outbreak.
The mission grows each year, notably between 2015 and 2017 when they partnered with the Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force.
Contrary to the film, Operation Christmas Drop is not under threat. The base is currently gearing up for their 2020 drop and are appealing for donations of items such as hand tools, fishing gear, school supplies, water purifiers, non-perishable food, educational toys, hygiene products, first aid kits, clothing, household items, and financial contributions.
You can watch Operation Christmas Drop on Netflix
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