This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Death Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/JW.2ADE/8128 Message Board Post: PIane Crash Strews Parts Over Mojave Many Mojave residents were just finishing a second cup of coffee Saturday morning, Nov. 23, when a terrific shock wave was felt about 8 a.m. Most people shrugged it off as another sonic boom but some heard a strange whistle following the noise. Shortly afterwards Mojave's fire alarm horn blared out calling the volunteers to the box nearest the Mojave Motor Co. on Sierra Hwy. in the north part of town. By now, a pall of black smoke hung over the runway at the Mojave Marine Auxiliary Air Station indicating one of the fighter planes based here had crashed. Witnesses said it disintegrated and started several small fires, which were quickly brought under control. Marine Base officials reported that Cap. Marvin B. Stevens, USMC, was instantly killed when the plane, an F-9-F, exploded on impact. Capt. Stevens had been stationed at Mojave and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Stevens of Watsonville, Calif. When the ill-fated plane crashed several pieces were thrown some distance away. One of the larger pieces sailed over the top of Mojave Motor Co. and crashed through the roof of an S. P. Section house occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Martin Fostado. The chunk of metal, said by Guido Salvestro to be red hot, went through the roof, continued down through the ceiling, piercing the west wall of the house. Debris was scattered on small children, but no one was injured. A second piece of the plane hit the concrete foundation of a fence at the corner of Cerro Gordo and L Street. This shattered the cement which flew through the air like so many bullets. Again no on was injured, but it was reliably reported that three small children were playing in the yard at the time. Officials of the Marine Base said the plane was on a routine training flight. Posted by East Kern Genealogical Society Courtesy Mojave Desert News, California City, Kern, CA. Published: 28 Nov 1957