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.
1. "Making charts of air currents." Arcadia Journal, June 21, 1919. 2. "Mercury Flights Through Cloudland (1917)." Advertising brochure for sightseeing flights. One of the attractions was the Balloon School. Copied from the original owned by Sid Platford. 3. "Veteran recalls balloon field." Ar…
1. "Making charts of air currents." Arcadia Journal, June 21, 1919.
2. "Mercury Flights Through Cloudland (1917)." Advertising brochure for sightseeing flights. One of the attractions was the Balloon School. Copied from the original owned by Sid Platford.
30. "Airships tracked enemy from Arcadia balloon base." Arcadia Tribune, January 26, 1978.
31. Copies of photos with designation of various sections of base.
32. "Major Max Fleischman." Arcadian Observer, October 5, 1918.
33. "The Arcadia Balloon School, 1918." Western States Jewish Historical Quarterly, October 1980. Photo with lengthy caption.
34. "Ross Field does fadeout." Los Angeles Times, November 15, 1933, Part I , page 6.
35. "Close blind pig at once!" Hensley blind pigs is slang for speak easy or illegal operation, and referred to a need to clean them up if Balloon School is to be here. Arcadia Journal, June 8, 1918.
36. "Arcadia will be aircraft center." Arcadia Journal, September 28, 1918.
37. Correspondence regarding archival holdings on Balloon School in National Archives, June 16, 1978.
40. Recollection of Mr. John Milton Huston, stationed here at 21.
41. "The post band." Arcadia Observer, November 9, 1918, page 6.
42. "Balloons re-enter the wars." News clip, October 7, 1951, possibly from an Omaha publication.
43. "Airborne 'elephants' once inhabited Arcadia's skies." Fedco Reporter, May 1988, by J.D. Carroll.
44. "Observer." Arcadian Observer, September 1918, page 19.
45. "New commander in charge of Arcadia." Arcadian Observer, January 4, 1919, page 8.
46. "First American Balloon Officer to die in action." (Lt. Cleo J. Ross) Arcadian Observer, November 2, 1918, page 27.
47. "Two balloon men killed by bomb." Arcadia Journal, September 28, 1918.
48. "Balloon School awaits on order." Arcadia Journal, March 30, 1918.
49. Sample of letterhead stationery from Balloon School.
50. "L.A. Scene - The City then and now." Balloon School/Arcadia County Park. Los Angeles Times, December 20, 1993, page B3.
51. "Officers to have a camp at Arcadia." Temple Times, June 26, 1924.
52. "Pioneer 'Birdman' recalls balloon exploits in Pasadena area." Arcadia man won fame in flying dirigible. Pasadena Star News, March 16, 1952.
53. "Ross Field use known June 1." News clip, May 8, 1929.
54. " Ross Field bill voted by houses." News clip, March 4, 1933.
55. "Ross Field Parks Project near vote by County leaders." Pasadena Star News, May 14, 1933.
56. "Ross Field purchase is urged on Council." News clip, May 18, 1933.
57. "Ross Field planned to become new park as County gets deed." News clip, August 1, 1935.
58. "Ross Field betterment approved." News clip, August 2, 1935.
59. "Ross Field to harbor zeppelin and Ross Field hangar leased as zeppelin assembling center." News clip, no date.
60. "Air planes gather at Ross Field for zeppelin activities." News clip, May 22, 1929. "Pilots will be trained at Ross." News clip, May 22, 1929. "Light tests on way at Ross site." News clip, May 18, 1929.
61. "U.S. returns Ross Field as sports center." News clip, June 11, 1935.
62. "Army School Ross Field Project." News clip, June 24, 1930.
63. "Park agreed at balloon field site." News clip, July 3, 1935.
64. "$55,655 price decision near on Ross Field." News clip, May 17, 1933. "Senate passes Arcadia Bill." Los Angeles Times, 1933.
65. "Set date for zeppelin to take air." News clip, May 28, 1929.
66. "Dirigible's keel laid at Ross." News clip, May 20, 1929.
67. "Group backs Ross Field measure." News clip, January 24, 1933.
68. "Senate passes balloon camp land transfer." News clip, February 10, 1933.
69. 1996 Heritage Calendar by Chino Valley Bank. Includes photos of U.S. Army Balloon Corp station.
70. "Today and yesterday of the Arcadia Balloon School Field." Pasadena Star News, July 4, 1931.
71. Copies of photos of Ray Walters, stationed at the Balloon School. Photo and article regarding the first annual picnic, June 1938.
72. Copy of photo #186.
73. "Army's biggest balloon school coming here." Los Angeles Times, March 13, 1916, Part II, page 1.
74. First draft chapter on Ross Field, by Arcadia resident John Irwin.
75. "Balloon Work Conditions Better, Y.M.C.A. Outpost is Established at Stocker Field, Officers Will Play Ball Tonight at Balloon Camp." Pasadena Star News, July 18, 1918.
76. World War I Heroes Remembered : Cleo J. Ross. Written by Ken Hudnut. (Internet article)
77. California Aviation History : The Army Balloon School, Ross Field, Arcadia, California, by Richard DesChenes. From the California State Military Department, California Military Museum. http:www.militarymuseum.org/BalloonSch.html
78. "Pasadena Public Library does bit for soldiers." Collection of books is provided for the military camp of the Seventh California regiment of guardsmen at Arcadia. Pasadena Star News, May 19, 1917, p. 13.
79. Overseas Army nurse, Grace Thompson, has been assigned to the post hospital at the United States Army Balloon School at Arcadia. Pasadena Star News, May 21, 1919, p. 11
80. "Heads For Camp in City." Thirty officers arrive from Fort Dodge, Iowa to take balloon duty in Arcadia. Many live in Arcadia. Lieutenant Colonel W.N. Hensley will host a dinner for his staff at Hotel Huntington. Pasadena Star News, Monday April 1, 1918.
81. "Tents Erected at Balloon Campsite." Seven tents for thirty men from the United States Army signal corps have been erected on the site of the new balloon station on the Baldwin Ranch in Arcadia. Pasadena Star News, April 4, 1918.
82. "May Give Up Camp Plans." Rumors from Washington say balloon station is not needed, decision will come soon, war department to meet with Los Angeles representatives. Pasadena Star News, April 9, 1918.
83. "Sale of Ross Field is Vetoed." War Department's wire stops sale of Ross Field to any private individual or municipality, government will reserve tract for other training. Pasadena Star News, April 13, 1927.
84. "Fire Plan Revision is Foresters' Job." Forest guards, patrolmen and registrars to complete training at Ross Field in Arcadia before fire season begins. Pasadena Star News clipping April 24, 1929.
85. "Forest fire work to be given trial. Rangers to carry out training program." The annual forest rangers' training school will be in session for two days at Ross Field, Arcadia. Pasadena Star News clipping, April 30, 1929.
86. Gallery Guide to Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum Exhibit, November 2005-January 2006. Exhibit called "War Department, Department of Military Aeronautics, Army Balloon School." Contains history of Balloon School.
87. Named "Ross Field" for Lieutenant Cleo J. Ross, killed in France. The Atlanta Constitution, May 23, 1919.
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.