- Historical Date: January 26, 1941
- Location:Camp Livingston, Louisiana
On January 26, 1941, the entire 32nd Division moved to Camp Livingston. Described as a “dreamland”1 and a “model camp”2, it was a nice change from Camp Beauregard, which was often referred to as “Camp Disregard”.3
The camp covered 10 square miles in the heart of the Kisatchie National Forest near Alexandria, Louisiana. The men lived in tent-houses, the walls of which were have wooden and half screens, heated with gas stoves instead of the coal stoves at Camp Beauregard.
Camp Livingston map
“Each company has a bathhouse, showers, wash stands and laundry facilities. Every regiment has a mess hall equipped with modern gas ranges, refrigerators and sinks; a large building used for movies, recreation and church; a canteen with soda fountain and reading material; barber shop, shoe shine stand and tailor shop.”4
During its history, Camp Livingston trained hundreds of thousands of soldiers for combat.5 The camp was part of the Louisiana Maneuvers, a 400,000 man training exercise that took place the summer before the U.S. entered the war. Over 500,000 men trained at Camp Livingston before departing for Europe or the Pacific to fight.
On Janauary 26, 2018, 77 years after my grandfather moved in to the all new Camp Livingston, I took a look at what remains today.
Deactivated in 1945, Camp Livingston has returned to nature. The cement roads still remain, and allow access to the interior. I was accompanied by Retired Louisiana National Guard Captain Richard Moran, curator for the Louisiana Maneuvers and Military Museum at Camp Beauregard in Pineville, Louisiana. Richard is an expert on the history of the camps, and what life was like during the Louisiana Maneuvers and WWII. He carried with him a copy of a 1945 map of the camp, and was able to get us not only into the camp, but to the area where my grandfather stayed.
There isn’t much to see today, a few scattered foundations, the remains of the swimming pool, but it’s interesting to drive through and realize the size of it. The roads go on and on, in an orderly grid, and make me think of the sheer number of people living there, working there, as our country prepared for war. It was a big undertaking, and so many of the men who went off to war knew the camp as home, at least for a while.
Camp Beauregard, still a National Guard base, is nearby and houses the Louisiana Maneuvers and Military Museum. It’s worth checking out if you are in the area and interested in WWII history. Contact them first to be sure someone will be available at the museum to show you around.
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- Company Street, Camp Livingston, Louisiana, 1941
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- James Schultz of Company G, 126th Infantry, 32nd Division
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- Duke, a company mascot at Camp Livingston
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- Inspection day at Camp Livingston, 1941
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- This was once the swimming pool at Camp Livingston. It has been abandoned for over 70 years.
Top: 32nd Division, 126th Infantry, 2nd Battalion marching at Camp Livingston. These were the guys who would cross the Owen Stanley Mountains in Papua New Guinea.
Bottom left: Area 5 at Camp Livingston, where the 126th Infantry Division was housed.
Bottom right: Remnants of an Area 5 building today.
- Hart, Sgt. William S. “New Camp Is Dreamland Compared With 1918 Setups.” Muskegon Chronicle, 6 Mar. 1941.
- “New Home of 32nd Division Described as Model Camp.” Unknown newspaper clipping, probably Muskegon Chronicle.
- Campbell, James. The Ghost Mountain Boys: Their Epic March and Terrifying Battle Fro New Guinea– the Forgotten War of the South Pacific. Three Rivers Publishers, 2008.
- Hart, Sgt. William S. “New Camp Is Dreamland Compared With 1918 Setups.” Muskegon Chronicle, 6 Mar. 1941.
- “Camp Livingston Louisiana WWII Army Camp.” Camp Livingston Louisiana WWII Army Camp near: History, Maps, Camp Master Plan, Construction, Maneuvers, Photographs, Present Day Remains, ATV Trails, www.alexandria-louisiana.com/camp-livingston-louisiana.htm.
13 comments
I want to know more about the machine gun companies
I am very interested in seeing the whole period map of Camp Livingston. The photos on this site are of parts of the map. Who should I speak to about getting more detailed photos of the map which is pictured here?
Jay – Sorry for the delay – your message got hung up in spam. I have the copy of the map you see here, but it’s really big – too large for me to scan. I got it from the curator of the Louisiana Maneuvers and Military Museum (https://geauxguardmuseums.com/) His name is Richard Moran, and you can contact him here: richard.b.moran.nfg@mail.mil.
If that doesn’t work (I know things are especially crazy right now!) let me know and I may at least be able to photograph it in chunks and get it to you.
My dad was there in early 1941, 32nd div, 128 inf, Company K. Fought in battles of Buna and Gona in New Guinea. They suffered high losses and wounded. I remember the names of two of his friends …Burt Lewlinski(killed in action) and Clarence Tell. I have a number of pictures of the camp taken during my dad’s time there.
My dad was in Service Co, 128th Infantry, 32nd Div, when called to Federal Svc Oct 1940. Took part in Louisiana Maneuvers, then on to Australia, New Guinea, Buna, Saidor, and other islands. They were there “for the duration” of the War, he returned home 4 & 1/2 yrs later. I am in the process of copying his pictures from that time for my siblings.
My father, James Lynn, was an African American soldier in the segregated section of Camp Livingston during 1940 to 1941. He and his three friends met and married their Creole brides during this time. I’m presently researching information particularly about the housing environment; however, I would appreciate learning more about the servicemen during this time period.
Have you checked with the Museum there in your research? The curator there was very helpful for me some years ago. Their web page: https://geauxguardmuseums.com/the-museums/about-the-museums/ It’s the ‘Louisiana Maneuvers & Military Museum’. There’s a ‘contact’ link on their website. Good luck with your research!
Are there any photos of platoons, divisions, etc. from basic training at Camp Livingston pre-WWII?
I don’t have any, but there’s a Museum on the base at Camp Beauregard and they may have what you’re looking for. Their web page: https://geauxguardmuseums.com/the-museums/about-the-museums/ Try and contact them and they may be able to get you more information. Richard Moran used to be the curator but that was several years ago so that may have changed. There’s a ‘contact’ link on their website. Good luck!
Hi guys, my grandfather John Szyka was in the 126th Company E. If anyone has pictures of that battalion, with names I would love to see, as I don’t have any clear pictures of him, with all records destroyed. Tryin to research from Australia.
In addition it looks as though the 126th became the 129th. so if anyone has any info on 129th Company E, I’m still searching for photo’s or info on their exact locations and times in PNG
My grandparents, Casimir and Stella Szaj, operated the Livingston Canteen which had a huge bar in the shape of a horseshoe and served 300 men at a time. My grandmother served up Polish sausages. If anyone has a phone of the bar, I would love to see it. I have a memory of a photo, but can’t find anything on the web. Many thanks.
That’s so cool! I hope a photo turns up – I’d love to see it!