Janice Collins Bailey, After World War II in Bad Toelz

Private Ed Collins, Janice’s Dad

Editor’s Note: Janice Collins Bailey wrote the story below as a comment on Floyd Watson‘s memories of his military service, originally published here on 11/11/2020. World War II was a presence in most of our lives due to our parents’ experiences. Many of us have continued to consume books and films about what we called “the war.” 

Floyd, I may be the only one who recognized the name Bad Toelz. My father was stationed there after the end of WW II. His command was in the U.S. and his job, with others, was to keep track of each soldier in his area on computer cards until they were sent home. They used one of the first IBM computers for this job. Their reports were in code and were sent to England once a week. In Germany his location in Bad Toelz was under General George Patton, but he and his unit did not have to muster upon Patton’s orders. This made the general angry. One of Patton’s officers came and pleaded for someone to show up sometime to appease him. (Left, Janice Collins Bailey, 1959)

At first the units still on duty sent their information to my Dad’s unit by armed guard because there were still SS up in the mountains. Later, the men working with my Dad could go out to get the data they needed.  This duty ended when they were sent home in March of 1946.

The Germans were desperate for food so the GI’s helped as much as they could. My Dad sent me three German dolls that some poor little German girl probably had to sell for the sake of her family. The doll on the left has human hair, the boy doll has rabbit fur for hair, and I think the other girl only has the two little pieces of wool because she is wearing a scarf. He also paid a carpenter to make three rooms of German-style doll furniture for me.

Recently, I donated these items to a toy museum in Kansas City.

This comment has little to do with your career, Floyd, but your story brought back memories.