The papers of the Robert B. McCoy are divided into three series: Personal Papers, Unit Records, and Photographs.
Personal Papers (1914-1926) contains a large amount of personal military papers reflecting the World War I service of McCoy. The correspondence files deal largely with the recruitment and organization of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in 1917 in anticipation of service in World War I. Many letters asked for commissions as officers in the various companies while others give reports on the recruitment of the companies and the progress made in training. There is a subset of correspondence that contains letters of application to be the regimental chaplain. McCoy also received several notes of congratulations upon his commissioning as colonel of the 4th Wisconsin. There are numerous blank forms that provide insight to the military of the time and the type of information that they sought to document and record. McCoy, as an officer, would have distributed many of these to the soldiers serving under him. There are some materials relating to his son, Malcolm, who died during stateside training. Newspaper clippings document his service, as well as his position as County Judge in Monroe County, Wisconsin and talk of his candidacy for governor in 1914. Also included in the collection are newspaper clippings, condolence letters, and a list of people contributing to the memorial service for McCoy's funeral in 1926.
Unit Records (1917-1919) provide an in-depth look at the training of the 32nd Division at Camp MacArthur, Texas in preparation for World War I through printed bulletins, memoranda, and orders. The nearly comprehensive set documents training routines, supplies, reorganization of units, promotions, disciplinary actions, and preparations for the trip to the battlefields of France. There are also orders and memoranda for two units within the 32nd Division-- the 4th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and the 107th Trains and Military Police. While less complete than the records of the 32nd Division, these materials provide a look into the activities of these two units that McCoy commanded. There are several battlefield orders for the 128th Infantry Regiment, which McCoy headed for a time in France.
Photographs (1925, undated) contain several undated photographs of McCoy taken at various stages of his life. Most show him in military uniform. There are three photographs of McCoy's sons in uniform. Many of them joined the military with their father during World War I. Finally there are several unidentified shots of military groups in uniform.
