HONOLULU — Wedbush Securities, a financial services provider, recently welcomed ambassadors from Honolulu’s Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor to its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, where they were presented with a surprise donation of $15,000.
The donation, from Edward and Jean Wedbush, in conjunction with WEDBUSHCares, the firm’s corporate giving program dedicated to supporting the communities it serves, was presented to Admiral Ron HaysUnited States Navy (ret), who serves as the museum’s chairman of the board, and Museum Board President Clinton Churchill, as well as the Museum’s Southern California Regional Director Gary Steinhauer.
The donation was prompted by Wedbush’s deep history in Hawaii, as its Honolulu location, opened in 1969, is one of the firm’s founding offices.
The funds will help to restore historic World War II hangars that will house additional exhibits focused on military aviation conflicts, according to museum officials.
Following the presentation, Admiral Hays shared experiences from his 38 years of Navy service with Wedbush colleagues. He emphasized the importance of preserving history and providing recognition for the heroes of Pacific aviation by making educational opportunities, noting, “the financial support for these objectives reveals a patriotic attitude at Wedbush.”
Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor currently boasts two battle-scarred hangars, and the Ford Island Control Tower on American’s only aviation battlefield, with exhibits including General Doolittle’s B-25B Mitchell used for an air strike in 1942, an SBD Dauntless from the Battle of Midway (pictured), an F-4F Fighter, as well as 45 additional vintage aircraft, equipment, photographs and other rare artifacts and memorabilia from the era.
“Visitors of Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor are walking through a history of heroes,” said Edward Wedbush. “Jean and I are proud to help the museum expand its collections of Pacific aviation relics for all to experience.”
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I have to point out that General Doolittle’s B-25B crashed on to a mountain in China after he completed his bombing run and flew to China. In the middle of a storm with fuel running low Dolittle and his crew bailed out and were found by freindly Chinesse and spirited to freedom as were the rest of the Raiders that survived their crashes and escaped the Japanes. The plane on view is a composit B-25.