The papers of John Brackett Hersey consist of Hersey's papers spanning the years 1960-1970 and encompass his role as Chairman of Geology and Geophysics at WHOI and his work for ONR.

The G. Michael Purdy papers span the years 1976-1995, and cover subjects such as Purdy's involvement in various national and international projects, committees, and workshops, course material, and correspondence relating to science and his Chairmanship of WHOI's Geology and Geophysics Department.