Redcatcher

Journal project for Redatchers (U.S. Army - 199th Light Infantry Brigade).

The origin of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade: Established as the 11th Infantry - constituted on 3 May 1861 by President Abraham Lincoln.

199th Infantry Brigade (Light).
The 199th Infantry Brigade (Light) was a major combat unit of the United States Army serving in the Vietnam War. The brigade was formed at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1966. Nicknamed "the Redcatchers", the 199th LIB was hastily moved to Song Be, Vietnam in December, 1966 to provide an increased U.S. presence in the III Corps Tactical Zone and remained there until its return to Fort Benning in October, 1970, where it was inactivated. The unit was briefly reactivate at Fort Lewis Washington from the remains of the 9th Infantry Division (Motorized).

The brigade was conducting Operation Uniontown in Dong Nai Province when the 1968 Tet Offensive began. It immediately began a defense of U.S. II Field Force headquarters at Long Binh and the Bien Hoa Air Base against attacks by the 275th Viet Cong Regiment. One battalion was moved by helicopter to attack a Viet Cong command post at the Phu Tho racetrack inside Saigon, then engaged in house-to-house fighting in Cholon.

During 1969 the 199th was responsible for the security of the region north and east of the capital, and in 1970 moved into the "Iron Triangle" when other units participated in the Cambodian Incursion.

About the Redcarcher Writing Project

The Redcatcher publication is a work in progress. We will be reaching out to the military men and women of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade.

This collaborative journal will present a forum for their shared stories and experiences. We propose that this publication will present a venue for reflection and catharsis.

For the Vietnam Veterans, we will be seeking your stories of life prior to your Vietnam experience; stories about your time in Vietnam; stories about where life has taken you since Vietnam.

And, we will reach out to all the other Redcatchers of differing eras. We welcome participation from those currently serving in the 199th Light Infantry Brigade. This will be a shared profile of Redcatchers Then and Now.

We expect to develop a questionnaire to help serve this effort and trigger those memories.

This effort will accept various genres including poetry, essays, fiction and non-fiction. But, we expect that most of the submissions will be memoir driven. For those individuals who may not be comfortable with writing; or, may not know where to start or how to approach this project... you are encouraged to enlist the support of others to help share your voice and story. This could be an opportunity for family / friends to share in your experiences as well. Consider an interview approach.

More details will be available regarding submissions.

Since this is a work in progress, we also welcome those stories from family and friends, And, we will consider submissions from other military units. We hope to provide a venue for all involved to particpate and have their stories published.

In the meantime, if you have anything to submit or any suggestions or questions, please contact us at journal199@yahoo.com

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