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Plane Motor Fails, Student Lands Safely
Luck rode with former
paratrooper Irving D. Osburn, 30 of 211 South Airport avenue, when an
airplane engine failed him this morning and he wrecked the ship in
attempting a forced landing in a soft ploughed field.
Osburn, a
solo student in USC College of Aeronautics, said "something flew past
my head and the engine quit" then he started looking for a place to
land.
Officials at the college reported a cylinder head on the Ryan
monoplane had failed.
In attempting to land on the Melvin Bello
ranch, Osburn cart wheeled the plane in the soft ground. He was not
injured. Bello took him back to school and Osburn, reporting in, said he
was ready to fly again.
[Santa Maria Daily Times and Courier, Santa Maria, CA, 13 Oct 1947, Mon, Page 8] |
 Irving
enlisted as a Private in Company B, 185th Infantry, National Guard on 4
July 1934.
Pvt Osburn was promoted to Pfc on 1 November 1934 and then to
Sgt on 1 June 1935.
Sgt Osburn was honorably discharged from the National Guard on 28
October 1936.
Irving married Mary E Bogue in California on 27 December 1940
He voluntarily enlisted in the Regular army on 11 June 1942 and was
inducted on 6 November. He was once again a Private.
He was assigned to Company F, 508th PIR probably in November 1943
but the Co F morning reports are missing for that month.
Pvt Osburn graduated from jump school on 5 March 1943 and skipping
Pfc, was appointed as a Corporal on the 16th.
 Cpl Osburn added a third stripe on 7 May 1943.
Sgt Osburn was transferred to the 541st PIR as a cadre team member
on 18 August 1943.
He was discharged as a MSgt on 8 February 1946.
Irving died on 23 February 1999. His place of burial is currently
not known but his wife, who died two years earlier, was cremated and his
remains may have been cremated as well. [Santa Maria Times, Santa Maria, CA, 24 Feb 1999, Wed, Page 3] |
