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 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 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 Walter Giles Correspondence to Ruth Giles While Serving on the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition contains two letters sent by Giles from Antarctica to his sister, Ruth Giles, dated 1939 and 1940. Giles writes about missing his hometown in Georgia, the weather, activities on base, and plans to visit Georgia once he returns to the United States. One of the envelopes sent to Ruth Giles has a Pitcairn Island cover, cancelled at Pitcairn Island 14 December 1939.

Walter Giles Correspondence to Betty Kerr While Serving on the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition includes a single-page, typed letter dated January 18, 1941 and the envelope it was mailed in. The letter thanks Betty Kerr, a friend of Giles located in Philadelphia, for letters and cards she sent him while he was in Little America, Antarctica. Giles talks about his experiences in Antarctica over the past year, including the cold temperatures and weather, food, entertainment options, and shares his hopes of bringing home a puppy born in Antarctica to his father. He shares a few brief anecdotes about his time there, including a forced plane landing 80 miles away from camp that resulted in a rescue hours later. Giles sends well wishes to friends and family back home, and mentions he is eager to reunite with "Evelyn" in Seattle.

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 Daily Dirt" by Walfred Miller, Annotated and Edited by Michael J. Hughes is a transcription of Miller's daily logbook from his time aboard the "Bear of Oakland" during the Byrd Antaractic Expedition II (BAE II) from September 1933 through May 1935. Miller's log records his experiences and thoughts, as well as as the ship's location, weather, recipes, autographs from crew members, lists of correspondence he sent and received throughout the expedition, and lists of rolls of film he used. Michael J. Hughes transcribed the pages of Miller's logbook into a typescript in 2009 as part of a personal research project, and included photocopies of select original pages. The document also includes photocopies of photographs from the expedition, and supplemental information added by Hughes, such as maps and images of Antarctica. The end of the document includes photocopies of newspaper articles and photographs about Miller's life in Alaska after BAE II. This edition was revised in 2019 to include the supplements.

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 Stuart D. Paine and Paine Family Papers, which dates from 1921-1988 and 2010, contains Paine's diaries, sketches, artifacts, notes, certificates, maps and newsclippings that he appeared to gather during and about the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition (1933-1935). The collection also contains United States Geological Survey quad maps, essays and interview transcripts created and collected by Paine's family regarding his experience during the expedition and about his lead sledge dog, Jack the Giant Killer.

The Stephen Barnes Oral History, dated 1958-1965, and 2000-2001, contains audiocassette recordings, administrative information, and transcripts of an interview between Barnes and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society conducted on March 13, 2000. This interview was part of a series of oral histories sponsored by the American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics of the interview include Barnes' recollections of Operation Deep Freeze II, the Sky High Station in Antarctica, and his ionospheric research in Antarctica, Maui, and elsewhere. Barnes also reflects on the contributions of various scientists in Antarctica, the challenges and dangers of living in Antarctica for an extended time, and his personal life since his retirement in 1994.

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 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 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 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 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 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 Richard R. Conger Papers, which date from 1946-1957 and 1992, contains photographs of the personnel, landscapes, vehicles, and activities during the Antarctica expeditions Operation Highjump, Operation Windmill and Operation Deep Freeze I,II, and III. The collection also contains a 1992 Christmas card from William Kearns, whom Conger helped rescue from a 1946 plane crash in Antarctica during Operation Highjump.

The Richard L. Cameron Oral History, dated 2002-2009, contains audio recordings, administrative information, and transcripts of the interview between Cameron and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society conducted on October 8, 2003. The notes are dated before, during, and after the interview, and the interview transcript was completed in 2009. 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 what led to Dr. Cameron to pursue a career in glaciology, his experiences in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958), his research studying the properties of glaciers, ice, and snow in Antarctica, earning his Doctorate at The Ohio State University and the different positions he had there, his experiences during the South Pole-Queen Maud Land Traverse (1964-1965) in Antarctica, and the different roles he had at the National Science Foundation.

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 Raymond Fosdick Papers, dated 1926-1955 and 1979-1983, contain correspondence and American flags sent to Raymond Fosdick by Richard E. Byrd. Byrd had a practice of taking flags on his flights and expeditions then gifting them to friends and benefactors upon his return. Some of the correspondence accompanied the flags and some of the correspondence relates to other topics, such as the Fosdick Mountains. Materials created after Fosdick's death were received or collected by his family and also relate to Byrd and his relationship with Fosdick.

The Ray D. Gottfried "Photo Story of the Snow Cruiser" Scrapbook was compiled by Gottfried to document the history of the Antarctic Snow Cruiser during construction and demonstration of the vehicle in Chicago in 1939, the transport of the Snow Cruiser from Chicago to Boston, including the crash in Gomer, Ohio, and use of the vehicle in Antarctica. Some content in the scrapbook dates from after the use of the Snow Cruiser in Antarctica, and includes written historical reflections on the vehicle, as well as photographs of historical exhibits and of models or replicas of the Snow Cruiser built at later dates. The scrapbook is composed primarily of scanned photographs, most in color and several taken by Gottfried, as well as newspaper articles reprinted on to copy paper; most are annotated by Gottfried. The content in the scrapbook dates 1939-2004; the scrapbook was assembled by Gottfried in stages, with the first stage completed in 1994, and subsequent materials added at irregular intervals through 2004.

"Photographs of Antarctica, Presented to G. M. Schwartz for the Department of Geology, University of Minnesota, Through the Courtesy of Professor Lawrence [Laurence] Gould, Second In Command of the Expedition" includes black and white photographic prints glued to album pages. The images depict ice and geological features of the Ross Ice Shelf, Liv Glacier, and the Bay of Whales in Antarctica, and were taken by Laurence M. Gould during the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition (1928-1930). Most of the images were taken from a plane, and include captions that identify the location the photograph was taken, as well as images that were used by Gould in publications about the expedition, particularly in "The Ross Shelf Ice" article published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America in 1935. The album was compiled circa 1935-1961.

The pages were originally held in a three-ring photograph album in numerical order, as indicated by the creator's handwritten numbers in the corners; the pages were removed from the album and placed in a folder for preservation purposes. There are no pages 8-9, and the last three pages of the album are not numbered; the final page of the album has an "x" written in place of a number.

The Philip M. Smith Papers, dated circa 1898-1935 and 1954-2013, contains photographs, slides, postal covers, publications, reports, newspaper clippings, treaties, artifacts, certificates and maps, which document Smith's career in administration of research in the Polar Regions, as well as his own fieldwork. Some of the artifacts and framed prints contain materials such as paintings and signs that predate Smith's career and relate to polar explorers, including British explorers, and to landscapes.

The Philip K. Swartz Papers contain compact disc reproductions of 35mm slides, and DVD reproductions of 8mm film footage taken by Philip Swartz while he was serving in the U.S. Navy Medical Corp in Antarctica during Operation Deep Freeze 61 from 1960-1961. A separate narration transcript for the slide and film presentations and a printout of thumbnails of the slides is also included. The collection also contains an oral history with Swartz conducted by Brian Shoemaker on May 2, 2003, focusing on Swartz's time in Antarctica. Oral history materials include audiocassette recordings, interview notes, and transcripts. All collection materials date from 2002-2009.

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 Orville March Scrapbooks contain scrapbooks compiled by Orville March, Junior dated 1946-1948, 1967, and 1995. The scrapbooks mostly contain newspaper clippings related to Operation Highjump as well as certificates, programs, and a photograph. Also included is the Shellback certificate given to March during his service aboard the U.S.S. (United States Ship) Pine Island to commemorate crossing the equator.

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 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 Nolan Aughenbaugh Oral History, dated January-April 2001, contains audio recordings, notes, and transcripts of the interview between Brian Shoemaker and Dian Belanger of the American Polar Society, and Dr. Aughenbaugh, conducted on April 12, 2001. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by the 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 Aughenbaugh's trip to Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-1958, his memories of his time in Antarctica, his experiences with Finn Ronne in Antarctica, and his teaching career following his return from the expedition.

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.