Home of the brave museum
REMEMBER THE BATTLE, HONOR THE SACRIFICE, SALUTE THE BRAVEThe Home of the Brave Museum serves as the steward and repository of Hawaii’s historical artifacts and memorabilia pertaining to the United States military during WWII. The extensive collection exists to preserve wartime legacies, as well as to honor the sacrifice and victory of our nation’s great servicemen and women.
Home of the Brave is the keeper of the flame for over 100,000 WWII Veterans who have visited the museum & shared their treasured artifacts and stories highlighting their service and sacrifice during WWII.
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE 1940'S WITH OUR HANDS-ON HISTORY AND EXPERIENTIAL DISPLAYS THAT HONOR OUR GREATEST GENERATIONIt all started when…
Started in 1991 in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor & surrounding military installations on December 7th, 1941, the Tomlinson family along with the Pearl Harbor Survivors created Home of the Brave. Our mission was to return our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coastguardsmen back to their battlefield sites where they were stationed at the time of the attack and document their heroic stories. It brought closure to some and many veterans returned year after year with their families. The Home of the Brave Museum has been built over the past 25 years with artifacts and stories from over 100,000 WWII veterans who have visited. It is now the largest private WWII collection in the Pacific.
OUR MISSION
The Home of the Brave Museum serves as the steward and repository of historical artifacts and memorabilia pertaining to the United States military. We believe education of wartime history brings about communion and unity between peoples and nations, therefore we provide a unique learning platform to engage and educate our diverse local community and island visitors on an important piece of Hawaii’s history as well as honor the memory of our veterans and their families. In addition to our expansive WWII collection, we provide a forum for veterans and their families to share their stories to bridge international & intergenerational gaps.
WHAT WE'VE ACHIEVED
Since 1991, we have hosted over 100,000 WWII Veterans and their families on the Home of the Brave military base battlefield program.
Created the Home of the Brave Museum - Hawaii's largest repository of WWII artifacts and stories.
Designed educational programs for schools, military, local & island visitors.
Worked and collaborated with the History & Discovery Channels, National Geographic, and Hollywood production companies.
Endorsed by the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association & SDPHSA nationally.
Accolades and awards from the State of Hawaii, City and County of Honolulu, & numerous military commands.
Created the Remember Honor Salute Foundation to perpetuate and sustain museum operations.
Maintain a 5 star rating for all our operations on social media.
PROJECTS
PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC ARTIFACTS & STORIES
Mary Freiberg and family returned to Hawaii with her uncle's ship flag that flew onboard the USS Rigel, ported in Pearl Harbor December 7th 1941. The flag was strafed by the attacking Japanese aircraft on the fantail of the ship and bears the scars of the attack with two bullet holes. Her uncle Cy was given the flag by an Admiral "Husband" as a gesture of gratitude for what the 18 year old signalman did that day. He and his crewmen took a small skiff from his ship during the attack and pulled burning sailors out of the harbor that were blown off the torpedoed ships tied up aside battleship row, saving numerous lives. Was the flag given to Cy by the Admiral Husband E. Kimmel??? We'll never know but his story and legacy live on in the Home of the Brave Museum!
RECORDING HISTORY & ACTS OF HEROISM
A great friend and Pearl Harbor Survivor, US Navy Commander John Mathrusse shared his harrowing experience on the "Day of Infamy" while the attack raged. Commander Mathrusse was on Ford Island, assigned to the carrier USS Enterprise which thankfully had not arrived before the attack. He and fellow military personnel fought back with what ever weapons they could find and helped injured sailors off the USS California to safety.
EDUCATION
The mission of the Home of the Brave & Remember Honor Salute Foundation is to preserve the legacy of our Greatest Generation through education and hands-on history. Guests peruse the largest private WWII collection in the Pacific where everything has been donated by veterans and their families.
