The Seymour Rutberg World War II Collection documents Seymour Rutberg's World War II service as a pilot as well as his post-war service and veteran activities. A smaller amount of material is personal in nature. Most items are dated 1941-1952 and include military records, flying logs, clippings, correspondence, reports and photographs. The collection has been arranged into three main series, arranged chronologically: Military service materials, Post-war materials and Personal documents.

Series I: Military service materials, 1942-1946, consists primarily of military records and documents, such as identification cards and licenses; flying logs and assorted clippings. Also included is a prayer book for Jewish soldiers and sailors. Of note are two typed reports about D-Day written by Rutberg. The first, "Invasion of the Continent," describes the atmosphere and military activites just prior to and on D-Day, including Rutberg's experience dropping 101st Airborne paratroopers. The second report, "Dinghy, Dinghy, Prepare for Ditching," details the experience of Rutberg and his crew who had to ditch their crippled Douglas C-47 Skytrain into the English Channel. A clipping and photograph of the group accompany the report. Related to the ditching experience is a small amount of material, including correspondence, pamphlet and membership cards, for the Goldfish Club. Membership is earned when a person is forced to escape an aircraft into water and have been saved by dinghy or flotable device.

Another highlight is a letter handwritten by Rutberg that explains why he named his plane "Satan's Sanctuary." Part of his letter states: "In the 1930s through 1940s, Jews were looked upon as descendants of Satan. Hitler propagandized the world with hatred for anyone Jewish...I named my aircraft 'Satan's Sanctuary,' the implication being Satan is coming to get you because this 'Jewboy' will prevail!!"

The series has a small Photographs subseries with 70 photographs arranged alphabetically by topic. There are four prints that depict the cockpit of a B-24 as well as partial views of the aircraft. One image depicts a Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane aboard a ship, circa 1940s. Seven prints focus on buildings and street scenes, however the only identified location is Catania, Siciliy, Italy. Twenty-seven images depict military personnel posing near aircraft, with friends and fellow service members and at social events, including a parade, graduation dance, and what appears to be a party. Rutberg is featured in several images with his mother, Bessie; his wife, Marjorie; and with his fellow servicemen identified by last name only: Breckenridge, Gaulding, Lewis, Lightcap, White, and Woods. Locations include Lakeland, Florida; Turner Field, Georgia; Pope Field, North Carolina; Shaw Field, South Carolina; Malta and Nigeria. Finally, there are 32 prints of Rutberg without other people, usually in front of or near to aircraft, including with his aircraft "Satan's Sanctuary" and "Satan's Sanctuary II," which was his second plane after the first was ditched. The photographs are a mix of casual and posed portraits and vary in size. Some include brief captions that provide contextual information such as name, date, or location. Duplication occurs.

Series II: Post-war materials focuses on Rutberg's 1948-1952 reserve status and 1994-2007 veteran activities, mostly related to the commemoration of D-Day. Additional items include materials pertinent to the 78th Troop Carrier association, such as correspondence, roster, and a "memory booklet" from one of their annual meetings. There is also a packet of printed emails discussing the 78th Troop Carrier Association member's displeasure with Stephen E. Ambrose's book, D Day: June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II. There is also a small amount of correspondence between Florida Senator Bob Graham and Marjorie Rutberg, Seymour's wife, that advocate for the Distinguished Flying Cross to be awarded to her husband. Her request was ultimately denied.

Lastly, Series III: Personal documents is the smallest. It includes business cards, financial records, and correspondence, including a draft letter written by Rutberg to actor Jimmy Stewart, whom he met briefly in 1943. Additional materials include a small amount of ephemera and clippings, including a partial February 2009 obituary for Rutberg. There are also 10 photographs of assorted people, most of whom are likely friends and family. Rutberg is included in some images. Identified people include Seymour's wife, Marjorie Rutberg; actress Ann Shirley; and former Massachusetts Governor John Volpe. One image depicts a partial view of an automobile dealership, likely owned by Rutberg. The prints are a mix of casual and posed shots, most are 4x5" and very few include captions. Duplication occurs.

Documents in this collection use outdated and offensive terms to describe Jewish people.