Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Russell Lindsey | PENSACOLA, Fla. -- U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. (ret.) Clyde "Cash" Barber cuts his 101st...... read more read more
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By Garrett Dipuma, Naval Air Station Pensacola
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Clyde “Cash” Barber celebrated his 101st birthday May 6 at the National Naval Aviation Museum (NNAM) onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola.
“There’s no secret about it,” said Barber. “All you have to do is thank the dear lord for another beautiful day … that’s what has worked for me, and that can work for anybody.”
Barber, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, has been a dedicated volunteer at the NNAM for over a decade. He said that he spends every Tuesday sharing his experiences with visitors in front of a PBY-5 Catalina aircraft—the same model he served on during World War II.
“There are very few of us left,” said Barber. “If we don’t tell our stories then there won’t be any stories to tell. I’m blessed to be able to tell my stories, and I love telling them, so it’s my pleasure to be here once a week.”
“It’s just a great day, and he is so representative of the men and women who serve this great country and have done so for 250 years,” said NNAM Director Capt. (ret.) Sterling Gilliam.
Barber enlisted in the Navy in May 1941 at the age of 17. He served as a flight engineer on Catalina patrol bombers in the Pacific theater during World War II, participating in missions from Midway to the Philippines. After the war, he continued his service and retired in 1971 after he rose to the rank of lieutenant commander.
The birthday celebration took place on the Cabot Flight deck of the museum with family, friends and museum visitors and staff. NNAM Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Rear Adm. (ret.) Kyle Cozad praised Barber’s commitment to service and education at the museum.
“We have the opportunity to sit and listen to the stories that only Cash Barber can tell about his experiences,” said Cozad. “Cash is an example of the most important thing about this museum, and it’s not the more than 150 beautifully restored airplanes – it’s the people behind those airplanes and the stories they have to tell.”
Located aboard historic NAS Pensacola, the National Naval Aviation Museum is one of the largest aviation museums in the world. With the mission to “select, collect, preserve and display historic artifacts related to the history of Naval Aviation,” the NNAM is open daily for visitors from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m.
NAS Pensacola, known as the “Cradle of Naval Aviation”, serves as a strategic asset in regional emergency readiness. Along with numerous aviation and cyber warfare training activities, NAS Pensacola maintains an operational airfield and deepwater port, preserving U.S. Armed Forces operational platforms.
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2025 17:10 |
| Story ID: | 497212 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 210 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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