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Annual Father's Day Fly-In
Columbia Airport, originally named Ralph Airport on June 16, 1935, in honor of aviation pioneer Ralph J. Lowell, has become a historic hub for the community and aviation enthusiasts. The annual Father’s Day Fly-In, held each year on Father’s Day weekend, celebrates Ralph Lowell’s lasting contributions to aviation and the local community, bringing together pilots, families, and visitors for a memorable weekend of flights, classic cars, and fun activities.
Honoring Our Heroes at the 56th Annual Father's Day Fly-In:
The Vietnam Combat Veterans Moving Wall to Arrive at Columbia Airport, CA, June 12-15, 2025
The Vietnam Combat Veterans Moving Wall will be on display at Columbia Airport from June 12-15, 2025, offering a powerful and moving tribute to those who served and sacrificed during the Vietnam War. This half-size replica of the Washington, D.C. Memorial will provide an opportunity for reflection and remembrance, allowing visitors to pay their respects to the fallen heroes. The event is free and open to the public, inviting all to honor the brave men and women who served in Vietnam.
The Moving Wall, a Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica, has been touring the USA since 1984. This healing wall has helped generations visualize and touch a loved ones name.
Comrades Forever.....
"The Moving Wall™" is the half-size replica of the Washington, DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has been touring the country for forty plus years! When John Devitt attended the 1982 dedication in Washington D.C., he felt the positive power of "The Wall." He vowed to share that experience with those who did not have the opportunity to go to Washington.
John, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver, and other Vietnam veteran volunteers built The Moving Wall™, as an exact replica of the original Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. It went on display for the first time in Tyler, Texas in October of 1984.
Two complete structures of The Moving Wall™ now travel the USA from April through November, spending about a week at each site.
This replica allows people who've never had a chance to get to Washington, DC to finally see a loved one's name. Visitors are able to find any name they desire, touch the Wall and do a "Rubbing" of the name that's etched in the Wall. Over the years that ability to preserve someone's name has always been a very somber, yet positive method of closure for friends and relatives alike.
The sheer size of this Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall is overwhelming for some. It's almost as long as a football field (252.8 feet). As you first enter the display area grounds it provides an immediate sense of just how large it is. It has over 58,000 names etched into the panels. There are 74 separate panels that make up this beautiful traveling wall.