The crew interviewing members of the US armed forces in Djibouti, Africa.

For WVEC TV’s 22nd Annual “Holiday Salute” show, formerly “Navy Christmas,” 13News reporter Mike Gooding and 13News photographer Pierre Simmons traveled 16,000 miles round-trip to visit Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, Africa.

There, they documented the work of the military’s Combined Joint Task Force/Horn of Africa.

2,000 U.S. personnel, including many from Hampton Roads, are based there, conducting humanitarian missions under Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pierre and Mike watched as American military men and women volunteered at an orphanage, taught English to locals and delivered donated medical supplies to African clinics and looked on as Marines taught Djiboutian Air Force airmen how to fire automatic weapons and how to conduct perimeter security and force protection operations.

US troops kick back at the canteen at Camp Lemonier.

Their stories are just one facet of the overall Holiday Salute program, which is hosted by 13News reporter Joe Flanagan.

It features a wide variety of touching military stories from 13News anchors David Alan, Regina Mobley, Sandra Parker, Vanessa Coria, Lasalle Blanks, Janet Roach and Velma Scaife.

The show airs on WVEC-TV 13 on Monday, December 24, from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. and again Christmas Morning beginning at noon.

You can also watch it online on WVEC.com.