The Brigade Is Born

The Beginning

Formally activated June 1st, 1966 the Brigade began small unit training June 27th at Fort Benning, Georgia to be followed by eight weeks of field training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Fulfilling the concept of a modern Light Infantry Brigade ("Light Swift & Accurate" is the 199th's motto) and its role in counterinsurgency warfare the Brigade was designed as a hitchhiker unit with heavy equioment kept to a minumum.

Following intensive preparations, a 280-man advance party left in early November 1966. After final review the majority of Redcatchers were flown to Okland, California where they boarded the USS Sultan and the USS Pope for the more than two weeks trip across the Pacific Ocean. The USS Sultan docked at Vung Tau and two days later the USS Pope docked and everyone moved to meet the advanced party at a tent encampment north of Long Binh that was to become the Brigade Main Base, Camp Frenzell-Jones.

Taken from the Redcatcher Banquet Program Sunday May 27th 2001

Epilog

Camp Frenzell-Jones

The Brigade Main Base was named Camp Frenzell-Jones in ceremonies on September 18, 1967. A Memorial Plaque was placed on a stone base at the foot of the Brigade flagstaffs in honor of the two solders from the 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry who died near Thu Duc on January 21 of that year, Following is the inscription on the plaque:

Regardless of political and historical revisions, the men who went to Vietnam with the Brigade beleived they were sent to stop the Communists from overrunning the country. After nearly four years of fighting the Brigade was withdrawn and deactivated in October, 1970. That November, Pacific Architects an Engineers were sent to the old Brigade Main Base to salvage building materials. Soon, all that was left to be slowly covered by the dust, mud, and undergrowth were the cement pads on which the buildings had stood.

The physical trappings may be gone, but as long as WE remenber, the unique spirt of the 199th remains alive - not for the military lineage or banners but to honor those with whom we served, both the living and the dead.

Whether the veterns of other units can claim this is a matter for their reflection, but for those of us in the 199th Light Infantry Brigade - the Redcatchers - the final words of Specialist Four Jones were prophetic and can be paraphased for us all:

"WE TRIED, WE DID ALL WE COULD DO. WE COULDN'T DO ANY MORE."