NORAD is tracking santa again

**1MileCrash** · 12-24-2008, 11:11 AM

ever wonder how NORAD got started tracking santa?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081224/...tracking_santa

NORAD's holiday tradition can by traced to 1955, when a Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears, Roebuck & Co. ad telling children of a phone number to talk to Santa. The number was one digit off, and the first child to get through reached the Continental Air Defense Command, NORAD's predecessor.

Col. Harry W. Shoup answered.

Shoup's daughter, Terri Van Keuren, said her dad, now 91, was surprised to hear that the little voice on the other end thought he was Santa.

"Dad thought, `What the heck? This must be some kind of code,'" said Van Keuren, 59.

Shoup, described by his daughter as "just a nut about Christmas," didn't want to break the boy's heart, so he sounded a booming "Ho, ho, ho!" and pretended to be Santa Claus.

Enough calls followed that Shoup assigned an officer to answer them while the problem was fixed. But Shoup and the staff he was directing to "locate" Santa on radar ended up embracing the idea. NORAD picked up the tradition when it was formed 50 years ago.

**ArcticZ06** · 12-24-2008, 11:44 AM

lol, thats what im doing tonight at work.

nothing brings out the holiday spirit like following santa with a pair of F22s.

I don't really understand why they still do it.

I have to put together some kind of cool looking display on the big screen for the news crew. I think I have a few good ideas.

**SS02** · 12-24-2008, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by ArcticZ06

lol, thats what im doing tonight at work.

nothing brings out the holiday spirit like following santa with a pair of F22s.

I don't really understand why they still do it.

I have to put together some kind of cool looking display on the big screen for the news crew. I think I have a few good ideas.

That rocks... the Kids must just dig it!

**ArcticZ06** · 12-24-2008, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by SS02

That rocks... the Kids must just dig it!

i always figured it would kind of scare them thinking that maybe santa might get blown out of the sky by terrorists. lol

maybe i can sneak a pic at work tonight and post up later

**1MileCrash** · 12-24-2008, 12:11 PM

as in the article the guy in charge of the "operation" says that it helps him connect to the holiday spirit and back to santa as his son is now 17...but it gives him a good feeling knowing that he's helping to spread christmas cheer.

plus what could be kooler than getting an armed escort by a squadron of next generation fighter planes.

**TransAm11973** · 12-24-2008, 12:40 PM

chase that mofo with some sidewinders

**SS02** · 12-24-2008, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by ArcticZ06

i always figured it would kind of scare them thinking that maybe santa might get blown out of the sky by terrorists. lol

maybe i can sneak a pic at work tonight and post up later

Originally Posted by 1MileCrash

as in the article the guy in charge of the "operation" says that it helps him connect to the holiday spirit and back to santa as his son is now 17...but it gives him a good feeling knowing that he's helping to spread christmas cheer.

plus what could be kooler than getting an armed escort by a squadron of next generation fighter planes.

Very cool on both... send pics!
I want to see, the Little Boy in me?