Thule
THULE AIR BASE, Greenland – Members of the 821st Air Base Group wrap dozens of presents to be given to children of Qaanaaq, the nearest village to Thule Air Base. As the northernmost air base in the world, just 946 miles from the North Pole, the wrapping party was also part of the group’s annual tradition of lighting a Christmas tree to ring in the holiday season. The 24 hours of darkness, which began Nov. 21, will not darken moods this season when the Airmen deliver the gifts. Rumor has it that Santa will fly into Qaanaaq by helicopter sometime in December, which is consistent with the Danish lore that Santa lives in Greenland, not the North Pole. Thule Air Base, one of the six installations supported by the 21st Space Wing, is the U.S. Armed Forces' northernmost installation, located 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Claude Winfree)