HELP US RESTORE OUR WWII-ERA PBY CATALINA
A New Chapter Begins for our PBY Catalina!
We’re proud to announce an exciting new chapter in the journey of our legendary Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina flying boat. Thanks to your incredible support, the aircraft has been safely transported from the National Naval Air Museum in Florida to the Air Zoo in Michigan, where it will soon undergo an extensive, world-class restoration.
This effort is part of a special collaboration between Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and the renowned restoration team at the Air Zoo. Together, we will bring the PBY-5A to display-ready condition. This process will take hundreds of hours and cost more than $500,000. Each dollar will help preserve this important piece of history.
Will you consider making a special gift to support this important restoration?
The restoration of this PBY and its historic return to Ford Island will be a powerful full-circle moment. Sitting amongst the very hangars that withstood the infamous this PBY will honor the crews that flew and maintained these historic aircraft that were targeted that fateful day and played a pivotal role throughout the ensuing conflict. Standing as a living tribute to the enduring spirit of Pearl Harbor this PBY will inspire our visitors.
Every dollar will help us bring this iconic aircraft home to honor the past, inspire future generations, and ensure its story is never forgotten.
The PBY Catalina holds a profound place in the story of World War II and Pearl Harbor. Just hours before the first bombs fell on December 7, 1941, a PBY spotted a Japanese midget submarine approaching the harbor entrance. Coordinating with the USS Ward the aircraft dropped flares and depth charges. This action, along with those of the USS Ward, marked America’s first shots of World War II. Though many were destroyed in the attack, a few remaining PBYs launched from Ford Island to search for the enemy fleet.
HELP HONOR
PBY Flight Engineer CASH BARBER
Lieutenant Commander Clyde Cassius “Cash” Barber
While at the National Naval Aviation Museum (NNAM) in Pensacola preparing our PBY for transport, we met WWII veteran and PBY Flight Engineer, Lieutenant Commander Clyde Cassius “Cash” Barber. At 99 years of age, Cash remains a volunteer at NNAM. His story reminds us of why a PBY must be on display at our museum.
After joining the Navy at 17, by November 1941, Seaman 2nd class Cassius Barber had completed Aviation Machinist Mate School, also known as “Mech” school, and received orders to report to Patrol Wing 1 (PatWing 1), located at Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay. On December 6, 1941, he boarded the USS Proyon and departed for O’ahu, Hawaii.
Arriving after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Cash was assigned to Patrol Squadron 11 (VP-11) where he and his squadron mates assisted in security duties following the attack. By 1942, Cash and the rest of VP-11 were transferred to the South Pacific to assist operations during the Guadalcanal Campaign.
As part of VP-11, Cash would fly the fabled “Black Cat” missions as well as conducting “Dumbo” missions to rescue aviators and seamen in distress at sea. Lt. Cdr. Barber’s story illustrates the significance of the PBY Catalina during WWII, demonstrating why it is so important to restore and display this historic aircraft here at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
As we approached the entrance to the channel at Pearl Harbor, we saw the damage from the December 7th attack. At Ford Island, our small air strip and base for our seaplanes, the aircraft hangars had been bombed and all the PBYs and other aircraft parked there were damaged or destroyed. The sight of all that damage is something that one can never forget.
Lieutenant Commander Clyde Cassius “Cash” Barber
WWII veteran and PBY flight engineer
Supporters who make a contribution of $250 or more toward this vital restoration project will have their name recorded and honored in our PBY Maintenance and Restoration Record for all time that we will post on our PBY Catalina website page after we restore the plane. In addition, those who contribute $100 or more will receive a limited-edition PBY reusable tote bag.
donate to support
PBY Catalina
Give to help us restore our WWII-era PBY Catalina.
- Questions
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your gift is tax deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. To claim a donation as a deduction on your U.S. taxes, please keep your donation receipt as your official record. If you’ve made a donation online, we'll email your receipt upon successful completion of your donation.
Our official tax ID is: Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, Federal Tax ID # 99-0337979.
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If you would like to make a donation via check, please mail it to:
Attn: Development Department
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
319 Lexington Boulevard
Honolulu, HI 96818
Thank you to our generous donors
Anonymous (2)
John Allen
LCDR Clyde “Cash” Barber, USN (Ret.)
Douglas Beijer
Peter and Kim Benson
Michael and Carol Ann Birosak
Richard Bjerke
John Bolthouse
Edward and Nancy Bosco Jr.
James Bramsen
Sgt Frederic Brossy Jr.
Dr. John Bukry
C.M. and Lorraine Burchfiel
Daniel Calpo
Michael and Mary Cayley Sr.
Chuck and Shari Cotton
Steven Covey
Pam Cozby
Frederick Dauer
Thomas Daye
CAPT Robert Deal, USN (Ret.) and CAPT Carolyn Deal, USN (Ret.)
Dr. Claire Deal
CDR and Mrs. Darren Denyer
Bruce Devenney
Kenneth Doolittle Sr.
Gary and Jodi Duggins
John Dunn
LTC Sofronio Estores
Mary Jo Fannin
CDR and Mrs. Charles Federico, USN (Ret.)
Ronald Fitzgerald and Maki Eto
William and Sharon Flanders
Fred and Rose Marie Fleischmann
Dudley and Nicki Foster
Alfred Gilbert
Robert Glanville
Jason and Amanda Greenwald
Dr. and Mrs. Floyd Hansen
Dr. Daniel Harrah
Dr. and Mrs. Richard Ikehara
Terry Daily and Linda Jackson Daily
Charles and Susan Johnson
Joel Johnson
Gregory and Deborah Jurek
Chris Keelan
Marilyn Kelly
CDR and Mrs. Edward Keough, USN (Ret.)
Larry and Mellissa Lamerson
Christopher and Paula Le Blanc
Judy Lewis
Juergen Lippmann
Roy Magnuson
James Martindale
Mark and Cathy Maurer
Joseph McCoy
Tom and Jan McGurk Jr.
Dan and Teri McNamara
Randol and Gloria Meeds
William “Sonny” and Isabelle Miller
Harry Nakayama
CAPT and Mrs. Robert Nisbet, USN (Ret.)
George Norcross
David Nunes
Janice Okami
Brian O’Mara
Brig Gen and Mrs. Stanley Osserman, HIANG
Christopher Ostrowski
Roy Owens
CAPT Donn Parent, USN (Ret.)
Capt David Potter
Dr. Mitchell Pratte
GM1 Matthew Quave
CAPT and Mrs. Carl Reed, USN (Ret.)
Aniceto and Susan Rivera
Phillip and Elinor Ronish
Charles and Mary Jane Roskosz
Don Schiemann
William Schultz
CAPT Thomas Scott Jr., USN (Ret.)
Maj Maureen and Capt Richard Seidenstein
CDR Lee Shafer, (Ret.)
Virginia Smith Alexander
Emmett Stobbs
Robert Paul Strittmatter
Malcolm Tabor
Stephen and Diane Talutis
CDR and Mrs. Thomas Thetford, USN (Ret.)
Capt Robert Thorson
William Tobin
John Van Weeren
Neal Wakabayashi
Matthew Webb
Dr. and Mrs. David Wells
Elaine “Chipper” Whalan
Gary Wilk
Alton Wong
CDR James Woomer, USN
CAPT James Zazas
LTC and Mrs. Richard Zegar, USMC (Ret.)
Grace & Richard Okita Foundation
Jean & Maury Myers Family Foundation
Mark and Lori Admiral Charitable Foundation
The J&D Giving Fund
