Piccards Off For Stratosphere -- Close to 250 men were in the ground crew that prepared the stratosphere balloon of Prof. and Mrs. Jean Piccard at Detroit, Mich., for their long flight into the upper air. The picture shows the crew about to release the balloon early on the morning of Oct 23, at the ford airport, near Detroit. The balloon soared eastward and landed near Cadiz, Ohio. Neither the Piccards nor their instruments were injured. October 23, 1934. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).