The Howard E. Smith World War II Photograph Collection is comprised largely of photographic and audiovisual material, including 2,115 prints, 83 negatives, and 5 film reels. The images were taken or collected by Howard E. Smith, a United States Army Air Corps Public Relations Officer and base photographer, primarily while he was stationed at Smoky Hill Army Air Field (SHAAF) in Salina, Kansas. There is also a very small amount of textual documents. Most materials date from 1942-1943, with some later dates. The collection is organized into two series: I. Photographs and audiovisual materials and II. Textual materials.

Series I: Photographs and audiovisual materials makes up the bulk of the collection. Due to its size, it has been further divided into several subseries, some of which have been further refined. All series and subseries are arranged alphabetically by subject. The majority of the photographs were taken at Smoky Hill Army Air Field base. Prints are in black-and-white and sizes vary from 4x5 inches to 20x24 inches, but most are 8x10 inches. Many of the prints are publicity or posed shots, although casual shots are also included. Some prints include notations such as "31ems," which may be publishing notes. A small amount of the prints in the collection appear in various issues of Salvo: the Voice of Salina Air Base, which was the Smoky Hill Army Air Field newsletter. Most do not include captions with contextual information, such as dates, locations, or names. Duplicates occur.

The first subseries, Activities and events is further divided into Recreation and Training. Recreation includes 455 prints and one negative that depict military personnel engaging in or enjoying entertainment, such as plays and concerts. Note that in the entertainment folder several images include outdated and offensive racial depictions of Black people (blackface). Other recreational activities include parties and mixers, religious services and weddings, and sporting activities, including basketball, bowling, and hunting. This grouping also includes a small number of cartoons drawn by herb Mott and Milton Caniff, which may have appeared in Salvo. The grouping on Training holds 416 prints and one negative that feature military personnel engaging in base activities, such as maintenance and drills and trainings, including for bomb sight, fire safety, medical procedures, and photography and reconnaissance, among others. Military ceremonies, formations and parades are also included in this section.

The next subseries, Aircraft and related, includes 485 prints and 10 negatives that depict aircraft in flight, on the ground, and a few crashes. For identified aircraft, the Boeing B-17 and Boeing B-29 are the most well-represented with 237 prints between them. Douglas aircraft is the next largest with 53 prints; the remainder of represented aircraft generally have only a few prints. Additional images feature a flight suit test as well as parachutes, including packing and a fatal accident that depicts a dead body.

The Buildings and locations subseries is comprised of 331 prints and 41 negatives. The bulk of the prints depict SHAAF buildings and interiors, such as barracks, club spaces, the dining room and library. Note that some of the interior spaces include graphic images of pin-up art and outdated and offensive wall illustrations depicting Black people. There are twenty-two negatives without corresponding prints that feature "Batista" base, otherwise known as San Antonio de los Baños Airfield, Cuba. The remainder of material in this subseries depicts assorted non-military buildings and scenic views. There are also a small amount of weather-related images, including disasters such as flooding. Some of the weather shots may have been taken in Cuba when Smith was assigned there on weather reporting duty.

The People subseries has been further subdivided: Non-military personnel and Military personnel. Non-military personnel includes 113 prints and photographic reproductions of celebrities and entertainers who visited the base. Identified people include boxer Joe Louis, physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, and actress Donna Reed. There are 39 prints of a cadre of unidentified showgirls who performed on base posing with aircraft and armaments. There are also 11 photographic reproductions of "Mona," an illustrated pin-up by Charles R. Flory which includes nudity. The Military personnel grouping holds 315 prints and 30 negatives, most of which appear to have corresponding prints, that are a mix of portraits and casual shots. Images depict air crewmen and pilots, officers and enlisted men, including the members of the Black-only 49th Aviation Squadron; women in service, such as nurses and members of the Women's Army Corps (WAC); and animal mascots and pets. Some people are identified, but most are not. Identified people include Howard E. Smith and Viscount Hugh M. Trenchard of the Royal Air Force (RAF).

In addition to the still images, there are also five 16mm films. Four of the films do not include any kind of description. One film is labeled as "Inspection of ranks, 376th base headquarters" and was recorded on May 3, 1943 by "Photographer Stinnett." None of the films are currently accessible, pending preservation measures.

Series II: Textual materials is quite small and include newspaper clippings, mostly post-war announcements related to the death of President Dwight D. Eisenhower; a small amount of ephemera, including event programs and weather charts; and military documents, such as a U.S. Navy organizational chart, equipment receipts, and an undated "Cuban bombing targets" chart, among others.