Hamilton "Ham" Coolidge (1895-1918) was one of many young men from wealthy New England families who enlisted during World War I. The collection contains materials related to Captain Coolidge's service a pilot with the U.S. Army Air Service 94th Aero Squadron. Coolidge achieved Ace status, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and was killed in action.

Charles Wallace Drew (1896-1979) served as a pilot with the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I, and later worked as an airport engineer. The collection contains correspondence, photographs, clippings, and other materials relating to Drew's wartime experience.

Marc Aloysius Lagen (1882-1946), originally from Dubuque, Iowa, was a theatrical manager who served as Captain in the Balloon Section of the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I. The collection contains documents, photographs, correspondence, and ephemera relating to his World War I career.

The collection contains a World War I era scrapbook photograph album assembled by Edward I. Sproull (1897-1956) while in training at Ohio State University and subsequently serving as a pilot with the A.E.F. and the American Squadron of the French Military Air Force in France.

Samuel Elbert White served in various balloon companies of the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I. The collection documents his training in the United States and his service overseas.