Bruce Livingston, 77, displays an Army-issued duffel bag Sunday outside his house in Hallowell. Livingston seeks to recover the original Army duffel bag he was issued more than 50 years ago, during his time in the Army Reserve. Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal

HALLOWELL — Bruce Livingston understands reclaiming the original duffel bag from his time in the Army Reserve might be a long shot, but he knows he will not get it back unless he tries.

Livingston, now a couple of weeks shy of his 78th birthday, lives in Hallowell. Earlier in life, he was part of the Army Reserve and, in 1968, was issued a duffel bag during his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.  

Bruce Livingston, 77, folds an Army-issued duffel bag Sunday outside his house in Hallowell. Livingston seeks to recover the original Army duffel bag he was issued more than 50 years ago, during his time in the Army Reserve. Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal

He was a member of the Army Reserve’s 619th Transportation Co. and spent basic training and advanced training in Missouri, before being stationed in early 1969 at the 619th Armory in Auburn.

Livingston said it was about this time at the armory he lost his duffel bag, which he describes as U.S. Army green, round and made from canvas. It also has his name and military identification number printed on it.

The U.S. Army-issued duffel bag Bruce Livingston, 77, of Hallowell seeks to recover after more than five decades bears his name and Army identification number. Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal

“If you watch those movies about World War II or Korea, every solider has one,” he said. “It’s what if you went to war, you carry everything you own in that duffel bag. It’s not that big — around 3 feet in diameter.” 

Livingston said that while at the armory, he and others stationed there had to turn in their duffel bag and were “randomly issued” another bag in return.

He has a version of the bag he lost, but he wants the one that bears his name.

“Just for nostalgia,” he said, adding the bag contained nothing of value.

The 619th Armory throughout the years has been in and out of active service. Most recently, it was called into service in June 2009, but has been out of service since July 2010. The unit is currently closed.

Livingston said he has thought for years about reclaiming his original Army duffel bag, wondering if it is still out there.

He said he is offering $50 to anyone who finds it, with the chance it could be tucked away in someone’s basement or attic.

Livingston is adamant that if the bag is out there, it would be in the Auburn area.

Christopher Ghiz, the command historian with the Office of Army Reserve History, said he is not optimistic Livingston will find his old duffel bag, mostly because of its age and the material used to make such bags in the 1960s.

“Knowing that the duffel bags were made out of canvas in those days, it is most likely dry-rotted by now and is laying in a landfill somewhere,” Ghiz said. “My duffel bag that I was issued at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1992 was made out of canvas and dry-rotted after four years. I had to throw it away.” 

Ghiz said the standard procedure for military units that get disbanded is to discard or reissue the equipment.

Nonetheless, Livingston said he remains optimistic, and hopes that for Veterans Day on Friday, someone will come forward with a special duffel bag bearing a familiar name.