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Children from the Pubwon Orphanage near Seoul greet the “Christmas Sleigh”

(James Vestal/Stars and Stripes)

Seoul, South Korea, Dec. 10, 1960: Children from the Pubwon Orphanage near Seoul greet the “Christmas Sleigh” — the C-97 Stratofreighter of the New Hampshire Air National Guard — at Kimpo Air Base, in Seoul.

The plane carried six tons of toys, shoes, canned milk, school desks, medical supplies and other items, including the 7-foot Christmas tree, all destined for the orphanage. The goods were donated by the citizens of Keene, New Hampshire in response to a plea from 1st Lt. Horace D. Verry (in the back, holding one of the orphans), assigned to the 27th Ordnance Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division and the orphanage’s project director.

Verry wrote a letter to his hometown paper in Keene asking for donations. Brig. Gen. Frank H. Britton, commanding general of the 1st Cavalry, was on hand to gift the Christmas tree to Ms. Ou Soon Lee, head of the orphanage.

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