The United States Flag Flown at Finn Ronne Base, dated 1947 and 1989, contains an American flag that was used at Finn Ronne's base camp at Stonington Island during the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, 1947-1948, and stolen by the British. It also contains correspondence from Kevin Walton, a member of the British expedition, to Brian Shoemaker, a United States naval officer who participated in polar expeditions from 1966-1988 and met Walton at a gathering for polar explorers in 1989, regarding the history of that flag and its return to American ownership. There is also a letter sent by Shoemaker to the Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, after Walton gave him the flag, explaining the provenance of the donation.

The S. Edward Roos Papers date from 1928-1999 and 2009, with the bulk of materials dating between 1928-1991; incidental materials related to Roos and his career dated after his death were kept by his son. The rest of the collection consists of items created and collected by Roos over the course of his sailing career, including notebooks from his trips to Antarctica during Byrd Antarctic Expeditions I and II, a photograph album from Byrd Antarctic Expedition I, ship service records spanning his entire career, and correspondence and newsletters from fellow members of the Byrd Antarctic Expeditions. Also included are newspaper clippings about the ships he was on that survived torpedo attacks, research about other ships he had sailed on in his career, a Swedish Admiral Byrd obituary clipping, and photocopies of the Roos Papers at the United States National Archives. Finally, the collection contains Roos's medals and uniform decorations from the United States Merchant Marine, his World War II Victory Medal, Byrd Antarctic Expedition II Guernsey Cattle Club medal, cap badge and shoulder boards, and two Freemason rings. These items arrived in a military medal rolled storage pouch, with Roos's service award bars pinned to it; these bars remain attached to the pouch.

The Richard G. Dickerson Oral History, dated 2000-2001, contains transcripts, administrative information and audiocassettes of an interview between Dickerson and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society. This oral history took place on April 21, 2000, regarding Dickerson's experiences in the Navy and as a pilot in Antarctica and the Arctic. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics found in the oral history include Dickerson’s career in the Navy, his experiences flying C-130s with skis attached, the difference between a runway and a ski-way, seasonal activities on the Ross Ice Shelf, and the use of dogs for transportation, which had changed significantly from earlier Antarctic expeditions. The oral history also contains discussions on the establishment of a runway on ice island T-3 in the Arctic, the Arctic Research Lab Ice Station II (ARLIS II), the use of native Iñupiat labor, the Arctic Ice Dynamics Joint Experiment (AIDJEX) project, the construction of the Alaskan Pipeline, and landing at Russian bases in the Antarctic.

The David Norman Grisez Oral History, dated 1956, and circa 1995-2002, contains audiocassettes, administrative information, and transcripts of the interview between Grisez and Goldthwait Polar Librarian Lynn Lay that took place on May 22, 2000 regarding Grisez's experiences in Antarctica as a machinery repairman and petty officer. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics found in this oral history include the establishment of McMurdo Station and a South Pole Base, the Seabees and their involvement in Operation Deep Freeze, the construction of an ice runway for supply delivery, and the activities and pastimes of men in Antarctica during Operation Deep Freeze. The oral history also includes Grisez's reflections on his work with the Antarctic Support Associates (ASA) from 1995-1996, on the leadership and staff relations during wintering over in Antarctica, on the changes that occurred in the forty years between his first and second trip to McMurdo Station, and on the machinery and equipment used in Antarctica during Operation Deep Freeze and in the mid-1990s.

The Robert Manke Oral History, dated 2000-2002, contains audiocassettes, administrative information, and transcripts of the interview between Manke and former Ohio State University Polar Archivist Raimund Goerler that took place on May 26, 2000. The interview discusses Manke's experiences at military stations on Midway Island and at Byrd Station in Antarctica. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics found in the oral history include a reflection on the Seabees and their roles on Midway Island and in Antarctica, the maintenance of Byrd Station in Antarctica, the airdropping of supplies, communication in Antarctica, and wintering over at Byrd Station.

The Ned A. Ostenso Papers consists of 1,346 35mm slides, many captioned, that document Ostenso's work in Antarctica from 1956-1959, and the Arctic in 1961 and 1965. The collection also contains a biographical file for Ostenso, which dates from 1956-1997, and includes obituaries, resumes and articles.

The Martin Sponholz Papers, dated 1965-1968, are photographic slides of pictures Martin Sponholz took while he was a member of Operation Deepfreeze-66 Expedition and the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. Sponholz numbered and wrote captions beneath the slides. Those numbers and captions are used in the inventory list as titles. The slides marked DF relate to the United States Antarctic Research Program’s Deepfreeze-66 Expedition at Plateau Station, dating 1965-1966. The photographs Sponholz took on this expedition feature the building of the Plateau Station and its facilities, tools and instruments used to measure wind and temperature, and Antarctica’s landscape. The slides marked J relate to the photographs Sponholz took on Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition, dating 1967-1968. The photographs Sponholz took on this expedition feature meteorology equipment, Antarctica’s landscape and animals, and Syowa Base.

The Elaine Whiteford Collection on Richard W. Konter, dated 1926-1931, contains photographs, postcards, newspaper clippings, correspondence, a scrapbook and an autograph book regarding Whiteford's relationship with Konter and his participation in Byrd Antarctic Expedition I, 1928-1930. While much of Whiteford's autograph book contains signatures gathered by Konter during the expedition, she got other notable signatures beforehand including Edith Kermit Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt's second wife and Kermit Roosevelt, Jr., Roosevelt's grandchild.

The Richard W. Konter Correspondence Sent During Byrd Antarctic Expedition I consists of correspondence sent by Konter to various correspondents while he was in Antarctica from 1929-1930. Konter was a busy correspondent during the expedition, and was known to have sent hundreds of Christmas greetings while he was there, some of which did not arrive until over a year after being sent. The collection also includes a published photo book of images from the expedition. Materials are dated 1929-1930s.

The Operation Highjump Collection contains collected materials both from and about Operation Highjump; materials date from 1947-1948 and the 1990s-2010. Items from Operation Highjump and immediately after include a souvenir edition of the "Bergy Bits" newsletter, and a 1948 United States Navy report on observations from Operation Highjump. Items about Operation Highjump consist of a newsletter and menu from the 1996 Fiftieth Anniversary gathering of people who were a part of Operation Highjump, photocopies made in the 1990s of 1946-1947 newspaper articles and clippings about Operation Highjump, a VHS videocassette with recordings of several television shows about Operation Highjump, and a 2010 DVD of crewmember Wendell Summers narrating his experiences on Operation Highjump.

The Robert Dodson Papers, dated 1942-2023, contain materials that relate to Robert Dodson’s experiences as a member of the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition. Also included are some materials about the experiences of other expedition members. Major topics include dog-sled driving, camp conditions, the rescue of Harries-Clichy Peterson, and Dodson’s role testing clothing and other equipment for the United States Army Quartermaster Corps. The materials include documents, such as publications, reports, and equipment specifications, diaries, and scrapbooks of press clippings. Also included are photographic slides, photographs, and audio recordings of oral history interviews with Dodson. One of the oral history interviews is from a series of polar oral histories sponsored by the American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program. Administrative information and transcripts of this interview are included in addition to the audio recording.

The Norman Vaughan Papers, dated 1917-2001, contain newspaper clippings, correspondence, photographs, audio recordings of an oral history interview, and a pair of fur gloves, most of which relate to Norman Vaughan's experience as a dog-sled driver during the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition. Some materials, including the oral history interview, relate to Vaughan’s other experiences as a dog-sled driver and his life after the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition. Also included are newspaper clippings that Vaughan collected about the second Byrd Antarctic Expedition, in which he was not involved. The oral history interview is from a series of polar oral histories sponsored by the American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program. Notes and correspondence related to the interview are included in addition to the audio recording.

The Paul A. Siple Papers, which dates from 1920-2005, contains photographs, correspondence, a scrapbook, newspaper clippings, periodicals, records, artifacts, postal covers relating to Paul's polar experiences. This includes his expeditions with Richard E. Byrd, including Byrd Antarctic Expedition I, 1928-1930 and later polar expeditions such as International Geophysical Year, 1957-1959. The collection also contains periodicals, correspondence and artifacts that show Paul Siple's connection to the Boy Scouts of America. In addition to correspondence with her husband, the collection also contains photographs and articles from and of his wife, Ruth Siple relating to her Antarctican activities and her travel to New Zealand.

The Herwil M. Bryant Papers, dated circa 1930s-circa 2000s, contain materials that Herwil M. Bryant created or collected while serving on the United States Antarctic Service Expedition from 1939-1941. This includes his journals, both the handwritten originals and photocopies and typed transcriptions of the originals. Also included are photographs, negatives, and photographic slides that he created during the expedition as well as correspondence, notes, press clippings, objects, and ephemera. In addition, the papers contain notes and other materials related to lectures Bryant gave about Antarctica and his experiences during the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition, including lectures he gave aboard Antarctic cruises. Photographs he took during Antarctic cruises are also included. There are two USB flash drives that contain digital files of Bryant’s U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition journals and photographs as well as narrations he recorded after the expedition. Also included is an unidentified reel of 16mm film.

The Charles J.V. Murphy Papers, dated 1926-1937, 1960-1974, and circa 1990s-2012, contains radio scripts, correspondence, meteorological reports, Struggle: The Life and Exploits of Commander Richard E. Byrd, book chapters, press releases, notes, correspondence between Murphy and several family members, and daily journal writings mainly concerning Byrd Antarctic Expedition II, 1933-1935, with some correspondence during Byrd Antarctic Expedition I, 1928-1930 and his North Pole flight. Due to Murphy being Byrd's ghost writer, some original Byrd materials are found in this collection. The latter materials include correspondence and articles regarding Bernt Balchen's claims that Byrd lied about his North Pole flight of 1926, as well as compact discs containing correspondence from Byrd Antarctic Expedition II.

The Walter K. Queen Papers contain correspondence, photographs, records, artifacts, and ephemera created or collected by Walter K. Queen that mostly document his experience during the Byrd Antarctic Expedition II (BAE II). The bulk of the papers consist of correspondence, which includes letters, telegrams, and radiograms sent and received by Queen. Much of the correspondence was to and from Queen's wife and daughters during BAE II as well as to and from Richard E. Byrd during and after BAE II. The photographs were mostly taken during BAE II and are images of Antarctica and the ships used during the expedition. Also included are records and messages to Queen that relate to his role as chief engineer aboard the S.S. Jacob Ruppert during BAE II and the refitting the Bear of Oakland in 1939 for the United States Antarctic Service Expedition. The artifacts include uniform pieces, glass bottles from Byrd expeditions, and two nails taken from the Bear of Oakland. Also included are three pocket Bibles, an address book, and an autograph book owned by Queen during BAE II. Ephemera, programs, and other materials related to events from after BAE II are also included. Materials are dated from 1900-1981, with the bulk of the materials dated from 1933-1939. The materials from after Queen's death were received and collected by the Queen family and relate to Queen's experiences in Antarctica during BAE II.

The David A. Paige Jr. and Lucille Paige Oral History, dated October 27, 2005-after 2005, contains audio recordings and transcripts of the interview with David A. Paige Jr. and Lucille Paige conducted by Raimund Goerler and Prudence Gill on October 27, 2005. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics discussed include David A. Paige Sr.’s early life after immigrating to the United States, the start of his career as a commercial artist in Boston and New York, his experiences as the expedition artist during the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition (BAE II) from 1933-1935, the conditions he encountered in Antarctica and the artistic techniques he used there, and how he later moved to Los Angeles, California, and worked for film and television studios in Hollywood.

The John Behrendt Oral History, dated 2000-2001, contains recordings, administrative information and transcripts of an interview between Behrendt and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society. This interview took place on March 14, 2000, and covered Behrendt's career as a geophysicist and his twelve trips to Antarctica from 1957-1995. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by American Polar Society and The Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics include Behrendt reflecting on his twelve trips to Antarctica, his scientific achievements, particularly in geomagnetic fields, and his personal and professional relations with polar explorer Finn Ronne. Other major topics of the interview included Behrendt's views and experiences on the necessary tools and equipment needed during expeditions, such as planes, Sno-Cats, and scientific devices, the natural challenges to Antarctica exploration and daily life, and the international treaties and protocols involving Antarctica.

The Russell S. Robinson Collection consists of materials related to Robinson; the original materials were collected by Peggy Royall, a friend of Robinson's during his youth. The original materials were photocopied in 2011 and annotated by the donor (Royall's daughter) prior to donation; this collection consists solely of these photocopies, with no original materials. The photocopies consist of clippings about Robinson's time on Byrd Antarctic Expedition II, school programs, and a holiday card sent to Royall while Robinson was in Antarctica; the original items dated from 1923 to 1933.

The Shadow Box Created by Susan Starkey Commemorating Lois Jones' Antarctica Research Expedition in 1969-1970 contains five mounted items inside the frame: a photograph of the research team at the South Pole in 1969 or 1970; an envelope autographed by members of the first all-women South Pole expedition team with a 'Southern Victoria Land 1969-1970' cachet mailed to Susan Starkey in 1969; a photograph of an adelie penguin on Ross Island with a written holiday greeting created by Lois Jones in January 1970; and two rocks collected by Lois Jones during the South Pole research trip. The rocks are numbered to correspond with Jones' research notes: one is speckled black and white, and the other is triangular, flat, and dark gray with 'WV-3R' written on it. The shadow box was assembled circa 2000.

The Susan Starkey Papers for Memorial of Lois Jones contains letters Susan Starkey collected from friends memorializing Lois Jones after her death, and a booklet of remembrances put together by Starkey, including her own memorial to Jones. Many of these letters discuss Jones' various employment positions and her expedition to Antarctica. The collection also includes a partial list of publications by Jones, a Columbus Dispatch clipping reporting Jones' death, and a few handwritten notes related to the funeral planning. All collection materials are dated 2000.

The Byrd Antarctic Expedition I News is a newsletter for members of the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition (BAE I) created by Henry Harrison from 1974-1988. The newsletter mainly consists of messages from or about expedition members and photocopied press clippings related to BAE I and expedition members. Seventeen total issues of the newsletter are included in this collection, including some years where two issues were published during that year.

Volume 12 is not included, but it is not know whether that number was skipped during production of the newsletter, or whether this issue exists but is absent from the collection.

The Lisle A. Rose Papers, dated 1947-2014, contains photographs, diaries, oral history interviews and transcripts, periodicals, slides, a yearbook, reports and correspondence primarily regarding Rose's participation in Operation Deep Freeze II and his role as Polar Affairs officer for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs (OES). Correspondence includes a letter from Rose's brother Dave dated January 1947, to Rose's parents, while Dave was on Operation Highjump. The collection also includes Deep Freeze II stamps and envelopes as well as photocopies of other polar explorers' papers.

Eugene Rodgers Papers for Beyond the Barrier: The Story of Byrd's First Expedition to Antarctica contains research materials used in the writing of the 1990 book, including clippings and photocopies of photographs, articles, and books about Byrd's first Antarctic expedition (BAE I) and members who accompanied him, aircraft and ships used on the expedition, and BAE I newsletters. Audio recordings of lectures and symposiums about Byrd, as well as interviews conducted by Rodgers are located in this collection. Also included is correspondence with institutions about their archival holdings related to Byrd, with other researchers interested in Byrd and Antarctic exploration, and with expedition members and their descendants, including responses to interview questions. Materials related to the process of publishing Rodgers' book with the Naval Institute Press are included in this collection, such as correspondence regarding edits to Rodgers' manuscript, edited and corrected drafts, an author guide, correspondence regarding the fair use of copyrighted material, publicity clippings and press releases, and reviews of the published book. Correspondence about talks and lectures Rodgers gave about Byrd after the publication of his book, biographical sketches about Byrd he wrote for other publications, and the use of content from his book for documentary films about Byrd and BAE I are also included. Materials in this collection are dated 1967-2005, and 2013, with the bulk of materials dated between 1987 and 1991.

The Ian M. Whillans Papers, dated 1955-2001, contains datasheets, maps, reports, articles, aerial photographs, negatives, notes, equipment lists, calculations and field books regarding Whillans' glaciological research in Antarctica and Arctic regions.

The George F. Kosco Papers, which dates from 1945-before 1993, contains photograph albums, a VHS videocassette and a 16mm film regarding Operation Highjump. The videocassette contains footage of the surrender of Japanese forces during World War II, a trip to the Arctic and Operation Highjump.

The Charles Lofgren Papers, dated circa 1900s-1995 contains photographs, obituaries, articles, and news clippings regarding his personal life, his military career, his participation in Byrd Antarctic Expedition I (1928-1930) and his lecture tour that followed. Lofgren's lecture tour and numerous news clippings often focused on his relationship with his sledge dog, "Tom Pratt," who was born during the expedition. The 1989 material is a postage stamp commemorating Richard E. Byrd. This collection is comprised primarily of original materials that date to the time of the expedition or other events in Lofgren's life, with some photocopies of original materials created during Byrd Antarctic Expedition I that were produced at a later date.

The Walter R. Jones Oral History, dated circa 1980s-2001, contains audiocassettes, administrative information, and a transcript of the interview between Jones and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society that took place on April 19, 2000 regarding Jones' experiences as an Equipment Operator and ham radio operator in Antarctica. The collection also contains photocopies of a diary that Jones wrote while on Operation Deep Freeze II and a video recording about Jones. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics found in this oral history include comments from Jones regarding his experiences and views about Operation Deep Freeze II, the role of ham radio operator, and the challenges and personal interactions of living in Antarctica. Jones also discusses his experiences in operating heavy equipment, including Low Ground Pressure D8 Caterpillar tractors, also referred to as Cats, in Antarctica and his traverses from Little America to McMurdo.

The William S. McCormick Oral History, dated 2000-2002, contains audiocassettes, administrative information, and transcripts of the interview between McCormick and Ohio State University Polar Archivist Laura Kissel that took place on March 8, 2000 regarding McCormick's experiences as an autogiro pilot during Byrd Antarctic Expedition II. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics found in this oral history include McCormick's early flight experiences such as learning to fly from his older brother while in high school and how to operate autogiros, his selection for Byrd Antarctic Expedition II (1933-1935), and the challenges of living and working in Antarctica. Some of these challenges included the problems that ice flows caused to supply ships, and how cold weather and whiteout conditions impacted repair projects and personnel relationships. The oral history also contains McCormick's recollections on Admiral Richard E. Byrd's personality and his relationship with others, Byrd's rescue from Advance Base, the Congressional Medal of Honor given to the expedition by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, McCormick's lecture tour and attempts at becoming an actor, and his later aviation experiences as both a link simulator trainer and an American Airlines pilot.

The John Weihaupt Papers, which date from 1959-2012, with most of the collection taking place between 1959 and 1963, contains field notes and notebooks, aerial photographs and compact discs. These materials come from his 1959-1960 Victoria Land Traverse expedition in Antarctica and his 1961 South Pole Traverse expedition. The collection also includes an oral history interview with Brian Shoemaker audiocassette, transcripts and notes.