USA Patriotism! ... Patriotic Photos

Marines and sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, raise Christmas stockings donated by the Central Illinois Proud Families of Marines as part of Operation Santa USMC. According to their website, the operation began in late 2004 when Marine Corps moms, Deb Conrad and Connie Riecke set out to send packages to a platoon of 32 deployed Marines. Within a few short weeks, troop supporters from all over the country had joined the effort by sewing stockings, shopping for stocking stuffers and gifts, and organizing packing parties. That first year, we sent more than 6,000 filled Christmas stockings to troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. We doubled that amount in 2005, and in 2006 over 17,000 deployed Marines and 300 National Guardsmen received Operation Santa packages

December 1, 2008 -- Marines and sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, raise Christmas stockings donated by the Central Illinois Proud Families of Marines as part of Operation Santa USMC. According to their website, the operation began in late 2004 when Marine Corps moms, Deb Conrad and Connie Riecke set out to send packages to a platoon of 32 deployed Marines. Within a few short weeks, troop supporters from all over the country had joined the effort by sewing stockings, shopping for stocking stuffers and gifts, and organizing packing parties. That first year, we sent more than 6,000 filled Christmas stockings to troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. We doubled that amount in 2005, and in 2006 over 17,000 deployed Marines and 300 National Guardsmen received Operation Santa packages.

Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jason Spinella