Consolidated PBY Catalina: America’s Unsung World War II Hero?

[Mike H.]

Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Consolidated PBY Catalina: America’s Unsung World War II Hero?” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/consolidated-pby-catalina-flying-boat/.

 

[Faulkner]

Only the uninformed would think the PBY is unsung. It was quite popular and visible for it's many roles in WWII.

 

[Recusant]

My dad was a combat crew member on PBYs. He joined the navy in December of 1944 at the age of 17. He was the radio operator and flew out of bases in Florida patroling the the Carribbean looking for German U boats. One of the items that he brought back after the war is something that I treasure today. He got this on one of the many stops at Guantanamo Bay to refuel. The story goes that he was sent out from the base with a pocket full of money to purchase a wheel barrow full of these to take back to Flordia I guess to sell to other thirsty sailors:

 

[Warrior9(Ret)]

If I remember correctly, they had charter flights using Catalina PBY’s that were purchased from the military from Balboa to Catalina Island just off the coast of Newport Beach California. They were for going to the casino on Avalon bay.
As a kid I used to watch them go out in the morning. I wanted to go on one by my parents said kids weren’t allowed. They would go and us kids stayed with our aunt.

 

[BSD]

Only the uninformed would think the PBY is unsung. It was quite popular and visible for it's many roles in WWII.

Uninformed? Yes. But, I would still imagine that less than 1% of Americans today could tell you what a flying boat is - much less what the PBY was. Most folks are pretty ignorant about history.

 

[OldGrunt]

Uninformed? Yes. But, I would still imagine that less than 1% of Americans today could tell you what a flying boat is - much less what the PBY was. Most folks are pretty ignorant about history.

Sadly true.

 

[Faulkner]

Uninformed? Yes. But, I would still imagine that less than 1% of Americans today could tell you what a flying boat is - much less what the PBY was. Most folks are pretty ignorant about history.

I would suggest the same could be said of most any of the American aircraft used in WWII. Same for the M1 rifle, the M4 Sherman tank, nor could they name more than one of the five star officers to come out of the war.

 

[NavyMooseCMMC]

My dad was a combat crew member on PBYs. He joined the navy in December of 1944 at the age of 17. He was the radio operator and flew out of bases in Florida patroling the the Carribbean looking for German U boats. One of the items that he brought back after the war is something that I treasure today. He got this on one of the many stops at Guantanamo Bay to refuel. The story goes that he was sent out from the base with a pocket full of money to purchase a wheel barrow full of these to take back to Flordia I guess to sell to other thirsty sailors:

View attachment 77952

Someday, I want to fly in a PBY. My dad was Coast Guard in the 1960s and saw them flying from a CGAS he drilled at.

 

[3L120]

If I remember correctly, they had charter flights using Catalina PBY’s that were purchased from the military from Balboa to Catalina Island just off the coast of Newport Beach California. They were for going to the casino on Avalon bay.
As a kid I used to watch them go out in the morning. I wanted to go on one by my parents said kids weren’t allowed. They would go and us kids stayed with our aunt.

Flew out to Catalina Island, Twin Harbors specifically. Had hunting licenses for a special hunt. Close as I will get to a safari. Stay at the Lodge, guided hunts, etc. First was on an amphibian. Not a PBY, Widgeon (?). Second time on a H-34. WishI I could do it again!