The collection consists of photographs presumably collected by Beam as part of his work as a war correspondent sent to Hawai'i by the Associated Press. Most photographs include captions. The images depict both military and civilian subjects, in Hawai'i, on the Mainland, and overseas.

The collection consists of eight photographs of the VJ-Day parade in Honolulu, Territory of Hawai'i. The images depict men and women in uniform--including sailors, WACS, and WAVES--as well as floats and airplanes flying in formation. (Based on notes on the backs of the prints, the photographs were probably taken from a viewing location in or near Pearl Harbor; additionally they probably depict the organized parade of September 3rd 1945, not the spontaneous one of August 14th, 1945.)