Standing from left to right are John D. Home (Department of Communications of the American Legion), Howard Hughes (Managing Director of Production of RKO), and Edward Underwood (Department of Communications of Hollywood American Legion Motion Picture Post #43), in the late 1950s.
Description given with photo: "Surprise To Everyone - San Pedro, Calif. : Millionaire planemaker Howard Hughes is surrounded by members of the press after successfully taking his 200-ton flying boat into the air in a surprise flight during initial taxi tests in Los Angeles harbor. Credit (ACME) 11/5/47."
Description printed on photograph's accompanying sheet of paper: "Hughes waves to cheering million. New York City--- Clean-shaven once more, Howard Hughes smiles his gratitude to the millions of New Yorkers who showered him with ticker-tape and torn paper--New York's own accolade, as paraded up Broadway, followed by his companions in the carbehind in the greatest reception since Lindbergh's. On the left is Grover Whalen, head of the New York World's Fair, 1939, and on the right, Al Lodwick, manager of the round-the-world record smashing flight. Credit Line (ACME) 7/15/38."
Lily Pons (left), Howard Hughes (center), and an unidentified man (right) at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Text printed on an attached strip of paper: "Noted flier and his hostess at cocktail party Los Angeles, Cal. -- Howard Hughes, noted flier, with Lily Pons, singing star, as he attended the cocktail party given by Miss Pons at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Credit Line (ACME) 11/8/38 NY LOND PAR."