Apparently a visitors' time at Ross Field Balloon School. Photo shows balloon aloft with basket suspended. Many people in photo. Closest to camera is left to right: man, boy, and four women. Eucalyptus trees all across background.
Photo of balloon apparently descending with men in basket suspended from beneath it. Group of buildings and 2 tents show on left side of photo. Approximately 16 men involved in getting balloon down. Truck also in photo.
View north toward San Gabriel Mountains. Men of Ross Field Balloon School, holding gondola or basket just coming to the ground or being readied to go aloft.
Maneuvering officer (extreme right) leading about 23 men in readying balloon to take on observers and go aloft. Identification was given by H.F. Paden, August 1978. Mr. Paden was an officer at the Balloon School. Field is totally flat.
Balloon company convoy. In evidence is probable mess trailer trucks and what appears to be 6 or 7 regular automobiles. Four men standing by motorcycle, on leftside of photo.
View west. Appears to have been taken a few minutes after photo #162 as it is essentially same scene, but balloon is further down on ground. Approximately 18 men working on holding balloon. San Gabriel Mountains on right side of photo.
Appears to have been taken just a few minutes after photo #167. Large balloon with a target-like figure painted on its side is down on the ground and being secured by men. Overcast day.
Four wheel drive truck with Cunningham winch used to get balloon aloft and back down and to keep them anchored. One truck for each balloon and had 1500 meters of heavy cable. Tires of truck were solid rubber. Note: ground line coming from truck near winch. This was to take care of static electricity generated along cable due to telephone in balloon. Information from H.F.Paden, Arcadia resident in 1978, former officer at Balloon School.
One balloon is secured on left side of photo with approximately 14 men near it. Two men are to the right of this group and are folding what appears to be a large canvas. Three buildings in photo, part of a truck shows to extreme right.
Apparently another view taken on visitors' day at Ross Field (as in photo #176). In this photo, balloon is on the ground with basket. Military truck shows on right side of photo with a sign marked "4" in front of truck. Group of people on left; small girl in checkered blouse is closest figure.
Military convoy coming toward camera. First vehicle is passing under branch of a tree. There are six men on it and it appears to be pulling a smaller 4-wheeled vehicle. The second vehicle in convoy appears to be identical to first.
View east shows two balloons aloft over Arcadia and San Gabriel Valley. It is possible that first river up from bottom of photo is Rio Hondo Wash. Some of trees along Santa Anita appear to be in extreme lower right of photo. Tree-lined street showing in extreme lower left of photo is Duarte Road. Second river coming into photo about five inches up from bottom of photo would be San Gabriel River.
These two long buildings appear to be buildings at the Balloon School. They have been left from the time that "Lucky" Baldwin's Santa Anita Race Track was on this site. There is considerable snow on San Gabriel Mountains behind.
Original description, "Balloon about 30 feet off ground. Balloon has round target-like mark on its side. Under balloon is truck with winch and many men participating in restraining it. Overcast day." Revised description 9/7/2017 by Mark Rosenblum, a local Balloon School historian, identifies it as Rockwell Field in San Diego. It is not Arcadia, but he said the men from the Balloon School at Ross Field in Arcadia, went to San Diego to join in on a public display of the balloons.
One balloon in sky (extreme left) and one balloon on ground with approximately 23 men making it secure. High wire fence in foreground. San Gabriel Mountains form background.
Balloon being restrained by about 11 men. An American flag is being raised or lowered from balloon. An automobile is in foreground. One of military winch trucks is on left side of photo.