The Elliott N. Couden Airmail Collection is a relatively small collection that pertains to the early days of airmail via Pacific Air Transport (PAT), United Air Lines (UAL), and Varney Air Lines (VAL). It includes textual and photographic materials, dating from 1929-1944.

Textual materials include both original and photocopies of clippings related to airmail pilots of the 1930s-1940s, including some of their crashes and deaths; and airmail service, including news about routes. Also included is a November 9, 1933 accident report for PAT air mail plane (NC13345), PAT speed records, an employee record for VAL pilot Alfred W. Davis, and a partial manual for the pilots about pay, schedules, and routes.

The visual materials in the collection consist of 14 black-and-white photographs, including one panoramic print that depicts pilot Leon D. Cuddeback next to a "Bull" Stearman aircraft parked on tarmac in Boise, Idaho. The photographs depict VAL radio positions on a map, a UAL Boeing 247 in flight, and pilots. Identified individuals include George Buck and Walter Varney. There are two group portraits depicting the "Tracy Aces," which are likely the first graduates of UAL's Civil Patrol Training Program (CPTP), circa 1943-1944. Most of the prints are 8x10-inches and several have captions that provide limited contextual information, such as name, date, or location.