Huntington Beach in Orange County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
P-38 Memorial
Huntington Beach - 1943
Photographed by Maria Young, February 6, 2023
1. P-38 Memorial Marker
On June 27, 1943, near this site, a P-38 fighter plane on a training mission from March Air Force Base crashed on the beach, killing four children and injuring dozens of others.
With this marker we pay tribute to both the Silva and Borrego families, who lost their children that fateful summer afternoon when, during World War II, people were simply trying to enjoy the peace and comfort of a day at the beach.
We also honor the first responders; the Huntington Beach Lifeguards that witnessed the crash from the pier and within moments, arrived on site, tending to the wounded. With remembrance and solemnity, we honor all those affected on that day.
Erected 2016 by The Shore, LP & Advanced Real Estate Services, Inc; and Maria Young.
Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Disasters • Military. A significant historical date for this entry is June 27, 1943.
Location. 33° 38.775′ N, 117° 59.24′ W. Marker is in Huntington Beach, California, in Orange County. It can be reached from the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Beach Boulevard. The marker is currently being stored indoors until a better location is found. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Huntington Beach CA 92646, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker and memorial is in Greater Los Angeles and in the Peninsular Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers.
this page online
More about this marker. The marker is currently being stored indoors for safekeeping until a better location is found (2023).
Regarding P-38 Memorial. On Sunday afternoon, June 27th 1943, a U.S. Army Air Force Lockheed P-38 being flown by Flight Officer Eugene R. Fair on a training mission lost engine power and the pilot bailed out. Flight Officer Fair had intended that his P-38 crash into the Pacific Ocean, but the P-38 began a descending turn that led to a crash on a busy stretch of beach. Four children were killed, and more than forty others were injured. Two of those injured received serious burns. Flight Officer Fair landed safely by parachute east of Pacific Coast Highway.
Mary Silva, Frances Silva, Faith Borrego, and Rose Borrego died, and Rudolf Silva and Ruben Silva sustained serious burns.
Photographed by Craig Baker, 2017
2. Huntington Beach - viewed from the pier
courtesy USAF
3. P-38 fighter plane
courtesy OCRegister.com, June 27, 2016
4. P-38 Memorial Plaque Dedication
Maria Young, left, kisses her mother, Vera Silva Mendez. Silva Mendez lost two sisters in the 1943 crash. The plaque was dedicated at Huntington By the Sea Mobile Home Estates. Maria Young lives at the mobile home park, which happens to be across the street from the crash site.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 6, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 516 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 6, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
