Robert McCawley Short (1904-1932) was born in Steilacoom, Washington and worked in China as chief instructor at China's School for Military Air Tactics from 1931-1932. The collection contains licenses, financial documents, correspondence, photographs, ephemera, biographical materials, and clippings related to Short's brief time in China. Additionally, the collection has photographs, ephemera, and correspondence related to the identification and preservation of his memorial.