HOWARD TOOK THIS PHOTO IN 1946. He dug it out when we put together a slide show on the 60th Anniversary of the 1927 flight of the Spirit of Saint Louis. Can you guess why? (Answer below)

John, I am guessing, but could it be that the Ryan Aeronautical Co. plant was at the corner of Harbor Dr. and Laurel St. that is now occupied by the Solar Turbine plant? I only knew the Ryan plant along Harbor Dr. a few blocks west (now Northrop Grumman). I also knew that Lindbergh's plane was built by Ryan here in SD, but I didn't know exactly where -- Mike Fry '60.

It’s a great photo, but not being around in ‘46 (San Diego, that is), not sure of the Icon you are referring to. Two items did draw my attention: first, the grouping of railroad cars in the lower left area; second, the oval in the center right with vehicles parked in the center. Was that a micro-speedway? Perchance might you have in mind the Lubach’s restaurant on Harbor Drive that Solar had for years, or just good old Anthony’s on Pacific Highway before they tore it down -- Earl Feldman ’61

I'd guess Rozelle #37 shows the old Ryan factory where the plane was built, on Pacific Coast Highway past Laurel, at about Hawthorn. But I'm only guessing. My late father-in-law, Johnny Smithson, would have known. He worked at Ryan (later at General Dynamics), starting less than a decade after the plane was built -- Bob Richardson '61

Most folks our age who grew up in San Diego are aware that the Spirit of Saint Louis was built here by Ryan Aircraft. Folks with a little more knowledge know Ryan Aircraft was at Dutch Flats, but might not know where that was. Actually, Claude Ryan had sold the company to B. F. Mahoney just before Lindbergh asked them to build the Spirit. They built it in an old tuna factory that still stands at Solar Turbines, then towed it behind a Model T to Dutch Flats. I've placed a red A next to the tuna factory at the top of the photo. Dutch Flats, by the way, is pretty much today's Midway Post Office -- JF

The street between Ryan and the runway is Laurel. At the top of Laurel and India on the left side is a little Safeway store. I don’t know if it was when this picture was taken, but I do remember the Safeway being there. This was my second stumping grounds when I was growing up. My Grandparents, like most Italian fisherman, lived in this area, a few blocks down on India, so, I remember it pretty well. My Uncle lived right across the street from the Safeway in the building about in the middle of the block on India between West Kalmia and Laurel. And I do know where Dutch Flats is. Part of it is now the SPAWAR parking lot. That is who I worked for before I retired -- Guy Casciola ’69