An American Airlines 767 jet is enroute to Kuwait this afternoon loaded with 20 tons supplies for U.S. soldiers and Iraqi children.
The first boxes of cargo were loaded at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday morning. The plane then flew to American's maintenance base in Kansas City, Mo., to pick up more supplies.
Operation Iraqi Children is providing backpacks filled with school supplies, as well as thousands of pairs of Crocs shoes. U.S. soldiers will distribute the supplies to children in Iraq.
U.S. servicemen and women will also receive comforts of home thanks to the North Texas-based Peter Burks Unsung Hero Fund. Among the items are clean white socks, beef jerky and hand sanitizer.
Burks, who started the Unsung Hero Fund, was killed in action in 2007. His father and fiancee continue the fund's work.
American Airlines donated the flight, which is also carrying volunteers and entertainers to the Middle East. The plane is scheduled to arrive in Kuwait on Saturday after making stops in New York City and Germany.