The Francis W. McDermott papers comprise .75 linear feet and cover the dates 1917-1932, with one item from 1978. It is arranged chronologically within alphabetical groupings. While predominantly correspondence, also included are photographs, postcards, and such items as military ID tags, a journal, and a railroad map. The vast majority of his letters are addressed to his mother in Missouri Valley. He also makes mention of his father James and his brother John. Occasionally he wrote of friends in the service and at home.   Also included in these papers are letters from his sisters Mig and Mayme written to their mother. Mig (Mrs. Jay Breusch) was the only married daughter and lived in Philadelphia, where her husband worked as a machinist in the Navy yards. Mayme also lived away from home and was engaged in the nursing profession.