Kern County Obituaries

Francis Murray Hannigan

Submitted by Don Stowell; 13 Feb 2008

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Source Unknown; 27 Mar 1952

Two Airmen Killed in Auto Truck Crash
Francis Murray Hannigan, 23, 6510 Motor Vehicle Sqd. Edwards Air Force Base, 
and Bobby Ray Short of same address, both met death Sunday at 3.22 a.m. when the 
'41 Chev Convertible coupe, driven by Hannigan, struck a furniture truck on Highway 
6, 3 � miles south of Mojave. Other passengers in the car, all from Edwards, received 
minor injuries. They were Robert Gordon Hansen, Charles E. Davis and Earl D. 
Sparks. 
Witnesses to the accident were Mr. and Mrs. Jack Dunn who stated that Hannigan's 
car was traveling south on the wrong side of the highway when it sideswiped the north 
bound truck loaded with furniture. The impact tore off the left side of the car and sent 
the truck into a complete spin scattering furniture out as
it twirled.	.
The Dunns who were directly behind the truck, narrowly escaped injury when the 
carburetor of the convertible flew through their windshield throwing fragments: of 
glass throughout the car. Mrs. Dunn's scream at the onset of the accident gave 
sufficient warning to her husband to prevent their piling into the rear of the truck.
Occupants of the '35 Chev 1� ton flat bed truck, received only minor injuries. They 
were G. E. Grebe, driver, Albert Malouf and his nephew, Charles Foley, all of Los 
Angeles who were on their way to Ridgecrest.	
Quick thinking on the part of a Mojave motorist helped prevent further accident at 
the scene by parking his car with his turning light blinking to warn other motorists of 
the accident. Also helpful was a truck driver who parked his truck diagonally to divert 
traffic around the wreck.
All the injured were removed to the Mojave Hospital. The bodies of Hannigan and 
Short were taken to Mumaw Mortuary, Lancaster following preparation for shipment 
by O'Donnell Funeral Home here. Hannigan will be shipped to Portland, Me., and 
Short to Salem, Oregon.