Operation 'Beanie Baby' provides war-weary Iraqi children with cuddly commodities

  • Published
  • By Mr. Bruce Stewart
  • 317th Airlift Group historian
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Although it may be easy to forget, there is a very human side to any conflict. That human component is usually unpredictable, something troops come face to face with when they least expect to. But because of two Abilenians, members of the 40th Airlift Squadron (deployed with the 370th Air Expeditionary Airlift Squadron) and some war-weary Iraqi children experienced it in a very rewarding way. 

Rita Yates and Lori White donated their Beanie Baby collection to the children of Iraq in the early part of August, and over a period of six weeks members of the 40th Airlift Squadron moved dozens of Beanie Babies, packed in a 20-inch television box, to Baghdad. 

"We (collected the Beanies) for three years and stopped collecting them about 10 years ago (when) they were all about 10 years old," Mrs. Yates said. "We weren't avid collectors, it was just a passing fad. We wanted to get rid of them, and this looked like a way to help our service people, and do something nice for the children of Iraq." 

Late in the evening Sept. 14, Capt. Matthew Manning, 40th AS, Capt. Jens Lyndrup from Pope AFB, N.C., and Master Sgt. Sean Bryans from Holloman AFB, N.M., were able to deliver the shipment of Beanie Babies, along with other presents, to several dozen Iraqi children in a secure area near Baghdad. 

Carried in C-130 aircraft along with supplies destined for American and coalition forces in the area, these Beanie Babies were precious cargo if their welcome by the Iraqi Children is any measure. 

"All the kids were adorable, and extremely thankful for the gifts they were receiving," Captain Manning said after attending the evening presentation festivities. 

Following the gift-giving celebration, Captain Manning and his crew were guests of the Iraqi Major General and had an opportunity to interact with some of the children following a meal that Captain Manning said was "... good food, just like all the Iraqi cuisine we've had so far." The Americans had the opportunity to interact with the children for a time following the dinner and then, for the members of the 370th AEAS, it was time to go back to duty and to the often less-pleasant aspects of war. 

The distribution was "a task that the 317th Airlift Group was pleased and proud to perform," Captain Manning humbly commented. 

For Captain Manning this was just another job performed by members of the United States Air Force, but it may very well be an occasion that will live in the memories of those children long after this conflict is over. 

These children are family members of Iraqi Special Forces soldiers. No photographs were taken at the event, nor may their names be used.