Osborne served with the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. On September 24, 1942 he was a gunner on B-17E #41-2420, nicknamed 'Bessie the Jap Basher' along with three other bombers on a mission against surface ships at Shortland harbor in the Solomon Islands. They seriously damaged a cargo ship, then came under attack from about twenty Zero fighters. Osborne's plane took damage and was last seen descending to sea level with fighters pursuing it. The pilot managed to keep it in the air for 290 miles before finally ditching it off Domo Cove at Guadalcanal.
At least two of the crew (Osborne and the pilot, Captain Charles E Norton) managed to make it to shore. September 30 Norton was captured by the Japanese and he died soon thereafter. He may have been executed. His body was not recovered. Osborne's remains were later found, but it's not clear how he died. The plane's wreckage was located by US forces in 1944 and no bodies were aboard. The fate of the rest of the crew was never determined.
At least two of the crew (Osborne and the pilot, Captain Charles E Norton) managed to make it to shore. September 30 Norton was captured by the Japanese and he died soon thereafter. He may have been executed. His body was not recovered. Osborne's remains were later found, but it's not clear how he died. The plane's wreckage was located by US forces in 1944 and no bodies were aboard. The fate of the rest of the crew was never determined.
Osborne served with the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. On September 24, 1942 he was a gunner on B-17E #41-2420, nicknamed 'Bessie the Jap Basher' along with three other bombers on a mission against surface ships at Shortland harbor in the Solomon Islands. They seriously damaged a cargo ship, then came under attack from about twenty Zero fighters. Osborne's plane took damage and was last seen descending to sea level with fighters pursuing it. The pilot managed to keep it in the air for 290 miles before finally ditching it off Domo Cove at Guadalcanal.
At least two of the crew (Osborne and the pilot, Captain Charles E Norton) managed to make it to shore. September 30 Norton was captured by the Japanese and he died soon thereafter. He may have been executed. His body was not recovered. Osborne's remains were later found, but it's not clear how he died. The plane's wreckage was located by US forces in 1944 and no bodies were aboard. The fate of the rest of the crew was never determined.
At least two of the crew (Osborne and the pilot, Captain Charles E Norton) managed to make it to shore. September 30 Norton was captured by the Japanese and he died soon thereafter. He may have been executed. His body was not recovered. Osborne's remains were later found, but it's not clear how he died. The plane's wreckage was located by US forces in 1944 and no bodies were aboard. The fate of the rest of the crew was never determined.
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