A view of Los Angeles Mayor Frank L. Shaw, Howard Hughes, and California Governor Frank Merriam (left to right) dining together at a banquet for Howard Hughes in Los Angeles, California.
Description printed on photograph's accompanying sheet of paper: "Hughes thanks State Department for Co-operation. Washington, D. C. -- Howard Hughes (left), with Jesse Hones (right), Chairman of the RFC, leaving the State Department here, July 21, after Hughes personally thanked Secretary of State Cordell hull for the cooperation of the State Department in clearing Hughes departure in the round-the-world record flight. Credit Line (ACEM) 7/21/38."