Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "Attending a banquet in honor of Howard Hughes were L to R: Mayor Frank Shaw of Los Angeles, Howard Hughes, Will Hays, and Gov. Frank Merriam."
L-R: Rea Hopper, Director of the Aeronautical Division, Hughes Aircraft Company; Howard Hughes; Clyde Jones, Director of Engineering, Hughes Tool Company Aeronautical Division; Warren Reed, Assistant; Col. Carl E. Jackson, Air Research and Development Headquarters, Baltimore; Gale J. Moore, pilot; and unidentified pilot in front of the experimental helicopter XH-17 Flying Crane on October 23, 1952. This was one of Hughes' last public appearances.