CPT Bee R. Osborne

First Known Kentucky National Guard Military Aviator

(1886 - 1968)

Captain Bee R. Osborne was born in Midway and was the son of James Wesley and Polly Ann Stamper Osborne. He attended Fayette County schools and attended the Wilbur Smith Business College. Smith was Adjutant General of Kentucky from September 1898 to November 1900. Osborne enlisted in the Kentucky National Guard on 1 September 1915 at the age of 28.

His civilian occupation was a telegraph operator. He was made a Second Lieutenant in Company H of the Third Infantry of the Kentucky National Guard on 6 July 1916.

He arrived at Mineola NY Signal Corps Aviation Station in July 1916 to begin his flight training. He completed it successfully and earned his Reserve Military Aviator certification and his FAI pilot’s license (No. 623).

While at Mineola and still affiliated with the Kentucky National Guard, Osborne took part in a National Guard & Army group flight from Mineola to Philadelphia Navy Yard a distance of 110 miles on 30 December 1916. This was only the second National Guard group flight but the first flight in conjunction with the regular Army. The temperature on the ground was zero and reportedly 18 below at the average flight height of 6,000 feet. They wore their own clothing plus experimental clothing that the army wanted tested. Even with that they nearly froze. Osborne was one of eight of the group of 12 to make it to Philadelphia. Osborne evidently made the return flight on 31 December without incident along with three others out of the 12. The rest made forced landings and continued their journey later in the days that followed.

Osborne resigned his commission as a second lieutenant in the Kentucky National Guard’s Third Infantry on 15 Jan 1917 to take a transfer to the Signal Officers’ Reserve Corps.  He continued at Mineola until March 1917 when he is listed in Army orders published in the Washington Post on March 20, 1917 as being assigned to the Aviation Section, Signal Officers’ Reserve Corps was transferred to active duty and ordered to Fort Sam Houston Texas assigned to the Third Aero Squadron, Signal Corps for duty. 

Osborne’s next stop was San Antonio, Texas and the 1st Aero Squadron. Osborne left San Antonio in August 1917 and sailed from New Jersey on 13 August 1917 bound for France. While in France he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on 1 December 1917. He was promoted to Captain in the Air Service on 20 May 1918. He served in France till 17 September 1919. Following his return from overseas he was stationed at Bolling Field, Washington DC from 18 September 1919 and was discharged at Fort Thomas, Kentucky on 13 September 1920.  He was not recorded as having served in any battles or engagements despite his time in France. He was awarded the Victory Medal and four gold war service chevrons.

Osborne returned to Kentucky after the war and was a ticket agent for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway System and retired from there in 1951. Osborne died at the age of 82 on December 22, 1968. He was buried in the Lexington Cemetery.