Bruce Livingston, 77, shows an Army-issued duffel bag Sunday exterior his home in Hallowell. Livingston seeks to get well the unique Army duffel bag he was issued greater than 50 years in the past, throughout his time within the Army Reserve. Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal
HALLOWELL — Bruce Livingston understands reclaiming the unique duffel bag from his time within the Army Reserve could be a protracted shot, however he is aware of he won’t get it again until he tries.
Livingston, now a few weeks shy of his 78th birthday, lives in Hallowell. Earlier in life, he was a part of the Army Reserve and, in 1968, was issued a duffel bag throughout his fundamental coaching at Fort Leonard Wooden in Missouri.
Bruce Livingston, 77, folds an Army-issued duffel bag Sunday exterior his home in Hallowell. Livingston seeks to get well the unique Army duffel bag he was issued greater than 50 years in the past, throughout his time within the Army Reserve. Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal
He was a member of the Army Reserve’s 619th Transportation Co. and spent fundamental coaching and superior coaching in Missouri, earlier than being stationed in early 1969 on the 619th Armory in Auburn.
Livingston mentioned it was about this time on the armory he misplaced his duffel bag, which he describes as U.S. Army inexperienced, spherical and constructed from canvas. It additionally has his identify and navy identification quantity printed on it.
The U.S. Army-issued duffel bag Bruce Livingston, 77, of Hallowell seeks to get well after greater than 5 a long time bears his identify and Army identification quantity. Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal
“In case you watch these films about World Battle II or Korea, each solider has one,” he mentioned. “It’s what in the event you went to battle, you carry all the pieces you personal in that duffel bag. It’s not that massive — round 3 ft in diameter.”
Livingston mentioned that whereas on the armory, he and others stationed there needed to flip of their duffel bag and have been “randomly issued” one other bag in return.
He has a model of the bag he misplaced, however he desires the one which bears his identify.
“Only for nostalgia,” he mentioned, including the bag contained nothing of worth.
The 619th Armory all through the years has been out and in of lively service. Most not too long ago, it was known as into service in June 2009, however has been out of service since July 2010. The unit is at the moment closed.
Livingston mentioned he has thought for years about reclaiming his unique Army duffel bag, questioning if it’s nonetheless on the market.
He mentioned he’s providing $50 to anybody who finds it, with the possibility it may very well be tucked away in somebody’s basement or attic.
Livingston is adamant that if the bag is on the market, it will be within the Auburn space.
Christopher Ghiz, the command historian with the Workplace of Army Reserve Historical past, mentioned he isn’t optimistic Livingston will discover his previous duffel bag, principally due to its age and the fabric used to make such baggage within the Sixties.
“Figuring out that the duffel baggage have been made out of canvas in these days, it’s almost definitely dry-rotted by now and is laying in a landfill someplace,” Ghiz mentioned. “My duffel bag that I used to be issued at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1992 was made out of canvas and dry-rotted after 4 years. I needed to throw it away.”
Ghiz mentioned the usual process for navy models that get disbanded is to discard or reissue the tools.
Nonetheless, Livingston mentioned he stays optimistic, and hopes that for Veterans Day on Friday, somebody will come ahead with a particular duffel bag bearing a well-recognized identify.
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