This collection consists primarily of letters from Edward Jackson Bartlett to his parents. Early letters in the collection detail his experiences in prep-school and time at Bowdoin College and Bard College. During his active service in the U.S. Navy, 1943-1945, Bartlett wrote his parents letters on a nearly daily basis. He documents his training at Camp Peary's Naval Construction Training Center in Virginia and his service at Port Hueneme's Naval Construction Battalion Center in California as well as his time serving in the Pacific Theater of World War II; writing his parents from Hawaii, the Mariana Islands and Okinawa, Japan. The letters document the work and leisure activities of a non-commissioned seaman. Also in the collection are photographs from his military service, report cards from his prep-school days, v-mail comic strips, and seven issues of Bolts & Bullets, a periodical published by the 101st U.S. Naval Construction Battalion.