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Help with a duffel bag

Discussion in 'Uniforms, Personal Gear (Kit) and Accessories' started by Elaughlin, Oct 4, 2014.

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  1. Elaughlin

    Elaughlin New Member

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    My son bought a WWII era army duffel bag that had been "customized" a bit by the soldier. He added his name and serial number and below that had three stripes, a red stripe, a yellow stripe and another red stripe. Can anyone out there tell me what (if anything) those stripes signify? I appreciate any help!
     
    Elaughlin, Oct 4, 2014
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  2. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    Hello, could you post a picture of it. It would help tremendously?
     
    Skipper, Oct 5, 2014
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  3. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    A lot of times the bottoms of Sea Bags (Duffle bags) have markings placed upon them so they can be identified as to which unit they belong to. Makes it easier for the unit to find their gear during debarkation.
     
    USMCPrice, Oct 5, 2014
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  4. Coder

    Coder Member

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    I am not sure whether the term "duffel bag" existed at the time of WW2.

    I suspect that the item in question was a kitbag.
     
    Coder, Oct 5, 2014
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  5. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    Yeah, that is possible, but depends mostly on the country of origin of the original poster. "Kit" being a more common term with Europeans. If the OP was referring to a US Army WWII era bag, "Duffle" would probably be period correct. The etymology of the term:

    "1670s, from Dutch duffel, from Duffel, town in Brabant where the cloth was originally sold. Duffel bag is American English, first recorded 1917 in a letter of e e cummings."
    So the term has been in the American lexicon since at least 1917 since oral usage normally predates written usage of a term.

    Skipper is correct that:

     
    USMCPrice, Oct 5, 2014
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  6. gtblackwell

    gtblackwell Member Emeritus

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    Would love to read e e cumming's letter from 1917. how can I find a copy? He is my favorite poet and I thought I had read every thing he had published.

    On a similar note I attended a retrospective of John Singer Sargent's perhaps overly beautiful portraits, 72 of the world's most handsome people.
    In a separate room were sketches of WW1 trench warfare he had also done. Realistic, vivid, gruesome drawings almost hard to study. It greatly expanded my knowledge and admiration of Sargent.

    On the OP's duffle, could the colors be divisional or regimental ? We played with duffles just after WW2. Wish I had kept one.

    Gaines
     
    gtblackwell, Oct 5, 2014
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  7. A-58

    A-58 Cool Dude

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    I'm not sure about what the Army called them in WW2, I always thought it was referred to as a duffel bag. My dad was in the Korean War, and they were referred to as duffel bags then.
     
    A-58, Oct 5, 2014
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  8. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    I'm not sure about where to get a copy of the letter Gaines. The information I quoted was from The Online Etymology Dictionary, and I went back and looked for a footnote. Here's the link:

    http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=duffle
     
    USMCPrice, Oct 6, 2014
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  9. gtblackwell

    gtblackwell Member Emeritus

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    Many thanks, I will enjoy that site regardless !!

    Gaines
     
    gtblackwell, Oct 6, 2014
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  10. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    Wow , I never realized the Duffel, Brabant thing
     
    Skipper, Oct 6, 2014
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  11. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    That's one of the best things about this site. I learn at least one thing every day, most days multiple things!
     
    USMCPrice, Oct 6, 2014
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  12. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    Off topic I know, but here's a list of where cummings' letters are. Maybe you can try here.
    Many of Cummings letters, papers, and artworks are in private hands or held by the E. E. Cummings Trust. Other letters, drawings and clippings are in the E. E. Cummings papers at Houghton Library, Harvard. Cummings' poetry publications not mentioned above, include & (1925), XLI Poems (1925), Is 5 (1926), ViVa (1931), No Thanks (1935), Xaipe (1950), and 95 Poems (1958). Two posthumous collections were published: 73 Poems (1963) and Etcetera (1983). He also published a book of artwork, CIOPW (1931), the title an acronym for Charcoal, Ink, Oil, Pencil, and Watercolor. Complete Poems, 1904-1962 (1981) was carefully assembled and typeset by editor George James Firmage. An excellent collection of Cummings letters is, Selected Letters of E. E. Cummings (1969), edited by F. W. Dupree and George Stade. The Norton Lectures at Harvard were published as i: six nonlectures (1953). Sound recordings are available including E. E. Cummings Reads His Collected Poetry, 1920-1940; E. E. Cummings Reads His Collected Poetry, 1943-1958; E. E. Cummings Reading Him; and i: six nonlectures.
    E. E. Cummings: A Biography (2004) by Christopher Sawyer-Laucanno is the standard biography. Among others are Dreams in the Mirror (1980), by Richard S. Kennedy, and The Magic Maker (1958), a biography by Charles Norman approved by Cummings. Norman Friedman's E. E. Cummings: The Art of His Poetry (1960) offers important critical scholarship. Miscellany (1966) by George Firmage collects a wide variety of pieces from magazines and other sources.
    http://uudb.org/articles/eecummings.html
     
    LRusso216, Oct 6, 2014
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  13. gtblackwell

    gtblackwell Member Emeritus

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    Lou, my eternal thanks. I have most of his poetry books but somehow missed the published art works. Will check my old university's online catalog to see if they have or can borrow it.

    Back to OP. We played with surplus duffles , about 1946-50 and they were called duffle bags.

    Gaines
     
    gtblackwell, Oct 7, 2014
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  14. Owen

    Owen O

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    Shame that the OP hasnt come back with more info.
    Such as name & number on the bag , a photo of it.
    What country they are from etc etc.
     
    Owen, Oct 7, 2014
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  15. Elaughlin

    Elaughlin New Member

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    I apologize for the delay, folks. Here is a photo of the bag. Once again, any information is appreciated.
    View attachment 21435
     

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    Elaughlin, Oct 10, 2014
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  16. Owen

    Owen O

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    Owen, Oct 10, 2014
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  17. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    USMCPrice, Oct 10, 2014
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  18. Betty Hodson

    Betty Hodson New Member

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    Eureka - you found MY Dad's Duffle - does anyone know how to get in touch with ELaughlin? His son has my Dad's WWII duffle. Dad -- Kenneth Brooke Hodson - was a medic in the army in WWII and served in England, Brussels, France, Germany and then through the panama canal to the Philippines. We would love to find a way to bring Dad's Duffle home to the family -- or at least get a good photo of it.
     
    Betty Hodson, Dec 6, 2015
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  19. McCabe

    McCabe Active Member

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    Amazing!
     
    McCabe, Dec 6, 2015
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