I hear the words “Pan-Am’s American Clipper service” and I immediately conjure up images of the glamorous days of flying, with wide seats, tons of legroom, and full meal service. What we’re seeing here is the christening of Pan-Am’s American Clipper for regular flights between Los Angeles and San Francisco at Terminal Island, near San Pedro, July 1939. It must have been a big deal spectators came to watch it. I don’t know if the reality of flying the American Clipper service matched the dream, but at least you didn’t have to undergo a full-body x-ray scan.

Susan M. said: “This was part of the big Golden Gate International Exposition held in ’39-’40 at Treasure Island — they had this new Clipper Ship flight and also a new train that ran up the valley to bring folks to the exposition. It was a big deal to be able to go on the Pan Am Clipper up there so you could fly over the 2 new bridges in SF – The Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge – the later had opened in ’36 and the GG opened in ’37.‘