Earl L. Bailey collection
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of letters and memorabilia sent by U.S. Army soldier Earl L. Bailey to friends and family during World War II, as well as the transcript of an oral interview with the soldier. These documents detail the soldier's basic training at Camp Maxey, TX, participation in the Army Specialized Training Program at Ohio State University, and service in the 405th Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division. This service included stops at Camp Swift, TX, Fort Dix, NJ, and participation in the suppression of the Philadelphia Transit Strike of 1944 before departing for Europe. The letters discuss the campaign in Europe, battles in France and Germany, the Siegfrieg Line, and the occupation of Germany. Earl L. Bailey also discusses religion, food, POW's, propaganda, artist Bill Mauldin, German National Socialist Ideology, and V-1 rockets. Also included are German propaganda leaflets that were dropped on U.S. soldiers.
Dates
- Created: 1942-1946
- Other: Date acquired: 07/30/2003
Creator
- Bailey, Earl L. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to all researchers.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Biographical or Historical Information
Earl L. Bailey grew up in Bartlesville, OK. He attended Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) for one year prior to enlisting in the United States Army in 1942. After Basic Training, he was selected for the Army Specialized Training Program and studied for a year at Ohio State University. He was then transferred to the 102nd Infantry Division at Camp Swift, TX. His unit moved to Fort Dix, NJ, where it was sent to Philadelphia to suppress the Philadelphia Transit Strike of 1944, before embarking for Europe. They arrived at Cherbourg, France in September 1944 and joined the front near Geilenkirchen in November. Bailey participated in the battle at Gereonsburg before being treated for trench foot at a hospital in the Netherlands in December. He rejoined his unit at Linnich in time for the crossing of the Roer River, the capture of Krefeld, and the march to the Rhine River. After crossing the Rhine, the unit discovered a war crime in Gardelegen, and met the Russian Army at the Elbe River. Bailey then participated in the occupation of Germany, in a Polish displaced persons camp, a POW camp in Bavaria, and an outpost on the Czech-German border, before obtaining his discharge and returning to the United States.
Extent
1 boxes
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.
Source of Acquisition
Earl L. Bailey
Method of Acquisition
Donated
Processing Information
Entered 6/9/2016
- Army Specialized Training Program (U.S.)
- Crimes against humanity Subject Source: Lcnaf
- Mauldin, Bill, 1921-2003.
- Prisoners of war Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Siegfried Line (Germany) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Strikes and lockouts -- Railroads -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. Army. Infantry Division, 102nd Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- V-1 rocket Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Western Front Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Food supply Subject Source: Local sources
- World War, 1939-1945--Germany Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Propaganda Subject Source: Lcnaf
- World War, 1939-1945--Religious aspects Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Earl L. Bailey collection
- Author
- Jeffrey A. Hartmann
- Date
- 06/09/2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the FSU Special Collections & Archives Repository
116 Honors Way
PO Box 3062047
Tallahassee FL 32306-2047 US
850-644-3271
lib-specialcollections@fsu.edu
