Skip to main content
Back to Show
PBS News Hour

A look at the origins of NORAD's Santa tracker

During the Cold War, Air Force Col. Harry Shoup was one of the commanders in charge of an early warning radar system based in Colorado. It had been set up to detect a possible soviet missile attack on the United States. In this animated conversation from our colleagues at StoryCorps, three of Shoup's children recall a surprising phone call their dad received back in 1955.

Support Provided By
Season
November 20, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 20, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 19, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 19, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 18, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 18, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 17, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 17, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 16, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
26:31
November 16, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
November 15, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
26:46
November 15, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
November 14, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 14, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 13, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 13, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 12, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 12, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 11, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 11, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 10, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 10, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 9, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
26:45
November 9, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
Active loading indicator