MOODY AIR FORCE BASE — This weekend the thunder rolled over Valdosta agaIn. 

The Thunderbirds performed at Moody Air Force Base as part of Thunder Over South Georgia Saturday and Sunday. 

At the airshow, visitors could observe Air Force equipment, such as the Moody Flying Tigers planes, an HH-60G Pavehawk, a F-15E Strike Eagle and more, up close, and while waiting on the Thunderbird performance, the audience could watch the Jelly Belly Interstate Cadet Flying Comedy Act, the MX-2 Aerobatic Show and more.

The Thunderbirds, whose pilots all come from operational combat units, performed at 3 p.m. each day.

“On behalf of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, we are excited and proud to perform for you today, and it is not difficult to find one or more reasons for that,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Walsh, operations officer for the Thunderbirds. 

“One of the reasons is the people … The next reason is the location. I can’t think of a more beautiful setting than a place that celebrates its military heritage for the team to round out its 2017 season, and the last reason I’ll mention is because on this team, on the Thunderbirds, we’re in the business of representing airmen (more than) 680,000 total force airmen; 20,000 of which are deployed around the globe away from their families; 600 of those airmen come from Moody AFB.” 

It was an Air Expo that veterans, military families and civilians could attend for free.

Among the crowd was Don Weber, 85, of Leesburg, Fla., who attended the airshow with his wife to see the Thunderbirds. He served in the Air Force from 1952-72 and saw the Thunderbirds for the first time in 1955. 

Weber said he goes to see the Thunderbirds anytime they come close to where he lives. So this year, he made the long drive to Valdosta. He said he admires how they keep their airplanes spotless and fly with such precision. 

“You never see those airplanes wiggle,” Weber said of the Thunderbirds.

Lauren McNeal, 30, whose husband is stationed at Moody, attended the air show along with her three sons, 4-year-old twins and a 6-year-old. She said she thinks the event helps show the Air Force spirit. 

“I think it (the air show) is important to the Air Force because the public can see what the Air Force is all about,” McNeal said. 

She said her kids also enjoy seeing the planes. The same could be said about a group of kindergarten through fifth graders from Brooks County.

The students were part of the federally funded, 21st century after-school program Every Child Has the Opportunity to Excel and Succeed, also known as ECHOES. 

“We just come out for an afternoon of fun, for educational purposes and for a little experience with things (the kids) don’t normally get to see,” said Tim Strickland, a fifth-grade teacher at Quitman Elementary School in Brooks County. 

For more information about the Thunderbirds, visit afthunderbirds.com.

Kimberly Cannon is a Reporter with The Valdosta Daily Times. Her extension is 1376.