No: 89
Date: February 2003
Name: Shane Osborn
An overflow crowd showed up for the unveiling of the Face of Navy Lt. Shane Osborn at the OPC, including relatives and friends from Scottsbluff and Lincoln, as well as his hometown of Norfolk, Neb. At age 28, Osborn is the youngest person to be honored as a Face on the Barroom Floor. He became an American hero in 2001 when he was involved in a midair collision with a Chinese fighter jet. Osborn was commander of the flight and, through what some say was extraordinary ability, landed the plane on Hainan Island; the pilot and his crew were held captive by the Chinese for 12 days. His dramatic experience caught the world's attention. He later wrote about his life and captivity in two books called "Born to Fly." One was directed toward young people. The UNL graduate received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Meritorious Service Medal for the 20-plus missions he flew in the Middle East. He was stationed there until spring 2002. At the time of his induction into the Face on the Barroom Floor, he was stationed at Pensacola, Fla. Among those attending the Face on the Barroom Floor unveiling were his parents and the Mayor of Norfolk, Dr. Gordon Adams. Roasters saluting him included Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey, Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson and Congressman Lee Terry. Military uniforms sprinkled among the crowd ranged from an Air Force brigadier general to young U.S. Naval Cadets.