This collection consists of the records of the Pan Am Historical Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving the history of Pan American World Airways, Inc.
Ione Wright, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Miami, researched the development of Pan American Airlines' Transpacific service. The Ione Wright papers contain documents, oral histories, photographs, operations manuals, maps, and other materials related to the history of Pan American Airlines, including materials related to Victor Wright and materials documenting the establishment of routes in the Pacific.
The topical files document a variety of subjects related to Pan American Airlines, dating from 1920-1986. Ione Wright compiled many of the files during her research on the airline’s activities in the Pacific, including correspondence with former Pan Am employees and oral history transcripts. Also included are photographs, files related to the China Clipper, and a variety of Pan Am publications.
The collection also contains navigation manuals and operations manuals for Pan Am airplanes, including the B-727, the DC-4, the DC-6, and the DC-7, as well as operations manuals for Pan American Airlines’ Latin American Division.
Also included a variety of maps and aviation charts for parts of the United States, South America, and the Caribbean, as well as route maps for Pan American Airlines, and a map of the United States by John Melish from 1816.
R. A. Seymour was a Wing Commander from the Royal Air Force. The collection contains photographs and memoirs Seymour's training at the Pan American Training Academy at the University of Miami during World War II.
Sidney Serebreny was a technical supervisor from 1941 to 1960 for the Pacific Alaska Division for the Pan American World Airways, Inc. The Sidney Serebreny Papers contains a typescript by Serebreny titled "Tailwind."
Formed in 1959, World Wings International is an association of former Pan Am flight attendants that now dedicates itself to charitable activities. This collection includes the administrative records of the organization as well as scrapbooks, photographs, membership and annual meetings files, correspondence and financial records.
A small collection of documents, photographs and ephemeral items that relate to Patricia Williams' period of employment at Pan Americal World Airways. This archive contains financial records, editions of the Pan American "Clipper" newspaper, work-related correspondence between Williams and the management at PAA, information about the insurance benefits provided to PAA employees, and other related items.