The papers of John Thomas Schneider (1895-1976) span the years 1915-1960 with the bulk of the material focusing on his military service spanning from 1918 to1929. They especially highlight his five year stint, 1919-1924, as a personal aide to John J. Pershing, commander-in-chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War I.

Included in the American Expeditionary Forces file are several oversize maps related generally to the Western Front in France during World War I and particularly to the Meuse-Argonne and St. Mihiel campaigns. An especially noteworthy map is an American Expeditionary Forces general headquarters product showing the disposition of American, British, French, and German divisions and American detached regiments on the Western Front in France at the cessation of hostilities on November 11, 1919.

Some of the correspondence is related to the schooling of Francis Warren Pershing, John J. Pershing's only son. There is correspondence with David A. Shepherd, a friend of Schneider's from Tennessee, regarding the possibility of drafting John J. Pershing for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1924. Other letter writers include George E. Adamson, George C. Marshall, and John G. Quekemeyer.

The John J. Pershing material includes fragments of his diary edited by Schneider from the period 1921-1922 when Pershing was General of the Armies of the United States and chief of staff of the United States Army.