This year’s special guest at the Bakersfield Business Conference spoke for no more than two minutes but the tears in his eyes spoke volumes.
Lt. Shane Osborn is a pilot in the United States Navy. He was in the national spotlight when the plane he was flying crash-landed in China on April 1.
Osborn landed that plane.
When he walked onstage Saturday, he was welcomed by more than 9,000 people standing and waving American flags in the air.
“That was pretty overwhelming,” Osborn said.
Osborn thanked Bakersfield for having him speak at the conference. He then commented on the newfound patriotism that is rampant in Bakersfield as well the rest of the nation.
“It’s quite an honor to come out here and be able to meet all these great people and see all the patriotism that has overtaken the country. It’s about time,” he said.
He then introduced Lt. John Cumerford, a member of the plane’s crew with Osborn. Cumerford received a warm welcome as he stood at Osborn’s side.
“I wouldn’t have been able to come home without Johnny,” said Osborn.
During a press conference after his speech, Osborn and Cumerford described the landing.
A Chinese fighter jet collided with Osborn’s reconnaissance plane and caused the EP-3 Aries II plane to spin out of control. The plane fell between 5,000 to 8,000 feet before Osborn managed to stabilize the aircraft. Osborn was forced to make an emergency landing in the hostile country.
When asked what they felt when their plane was struck by the Chinese pilot’s plane, Osborn responded, “I was pretty scared … the plane was upside down, I was mad and had a sick feeling in my stomach.”
Cumerford described being “elated” when the plane touched ground safely.
In addition to what Osborn has already accomplished, he has written a book that is due to come out on Nov. 13. The book is titled “Born to Fly.”
“Its about flight school, flight training, and what was going through my mind during the interrogation and isolation.”