The Lester Lee Cruse Commercial Airline Collection is a small collection that holds textual and visual materials relevant to the 1956-1977 career of Lester Lee Cruse, pilot for Japan Airlines, Saudia, Southern Airways, Trans Mediterranean Airways, and Trans World Airlines (TWA).

Materials include his flight log books, which start with his flight training in 1949 and continue through his career through 1977. The logs include brief information about type of aircraft, origination and destination point, and time flown. There is a booklet about the "Jaybird," a Douglas Super DC-3 owned by Harbert Construction Corp. in Alabama that Cruse served as first officer on from 1956-1959. The booklet is accompanied by three color snapshots of the "Jaybird" in flight. Additionally, vaccination certificates, a conference invitation and agenda for "40 Years of Saudi aviation history," and blank travel forms are present. A highlight is Cruse's Japanese and Lebanese pilot licenses as well as his annual residence permit for Lebanon, which help underline his international commercial pilot service. Another highlight is a 20x24-inch certificate issued by Trans Mediterranean Airways (TMA) to commemorate the first around the world all cargo service on April 14, 1971.

Although Cruse served with several airlines, it is his time with TWA that is best represented in the collection. These materials include a 1967 common stock certificate, a 1967 recognition letter and certificate of commendation for his "conduct and efforts during the Middle East crisis," and a congratulatory letter for being awarded TWA's Man of the Year in 1966 with a photograph of Cruse receiving the letter of commendation. There are also two additional photographs: an undated color snapshot of Cruse in the pilot's seat of a cockpit and a 1964 black-and-white snapshot of Cruse and crew in front of an obscured aircraft in Iran.

While the collection focuses on his commercial airlines career, there are also two military documents: a statement of duty and a photocopy of Cruse's notice of separation; and his circa 1977 resume accompanied by a supplemental biographical note.