Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment

Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (Compagnie Parachutiste du 3e Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie)
Company Insignia
Active	April 1, 1948 – May 31, 1949 July 1, 1948 – September 1, 1955
Country	France
Branch	French Foreign Legion
Type	Foreign Airborne Company
Part of	Legion attached to III/1er RCP (1948-1949) then 1er BEP: 1er BEP I Formation, 1948 1er BEP II Formation, 1951 1er BEP III Formation, 1954 1er REP, 1955
Garrison/HQ	Hanoi
Colors	Green and Red
Anniversaries	Camerone Day
Engagements	First Indochina War
Commanders
Notable commanders	Jacques Morin Paul Arnaud de Foïard
Abbreviation	Para Co. 3e REI

Each year, the French Foreign Legion commemorates and celebrates Camarón in its headquarters in Aubagne and Bastille Day military parade in Paris; featuring the Pionniers leading and opening the way.

The Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (French: Compagnie Parachutiste du 3^e Régiment étranger d'Infanterie, Co. Para du 3^e REI) was a foreign paratrooper company formed from the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment of the French Foreign Legion.

Creation and different nomination designations

Compagnie Parachutiste du 3^e REI

When the idea of paratroopers imposed a visit on the Legion, TAP formations already presented titles of glory on all the lists of battlefields across World War II.^[1] Nevertheless, Indochina would really be the crucible in which morale "état d'esprit" and French TAP style would surface.^[1] The glory of sacrifice and the nostalgia of a lost cause would entertain the myth.^[1]

The paratrooper company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, (Co. Para du 3^e REI) was created on April 1, 1948.^[1] The command of the Co. Para du 3^e REI was entrusted to a young 23-year-old veteran, Legion lieutenant Jacques Morin^[2] as Regimental Commander or "Chef de Corps" of the Co. Para du the 3^e REI from April 31, 1948 to May 31, 1949.^[1] Volunteers filled in the ranks from the foreign regiments present in already in Indochina.^[1] Dependent on the organization of the 3^e REI, the raised foreign parachute company was operated under the operational missions of the 3rd Indochina Air Infantry Battalion of the 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment, (III/1^er RCP).^[1]

The insignia of the Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment was created in 1948 by the Jacques Morin. The combat company insignia represents an eastern dragon, winged and armed with a sword guarding the insignia of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment at the center of legion colors.

Campaigns (1948-1949)

Stationed at Hanoi, the Para company engaged immediately and partakes in active airborne operations.^[1] Following a series of brilliant combat action operations in the most exposed sectors of the high regions and airborne operations in the Delta, the para company of the 3^e REI is dissolved on May 31, 1949.^[1] At the time of the dissolve, the para company counted : 3 Legion officers, 14 Sous-officiers, 92 Legion corporals and Legionnaires, all of whom were transferred to the first formation of the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion, (1^er BEP, I Formation) which just disembarked in Indochina.^[1]

Traditions

The Archangel Michael featured in Mont Saint-Michel and the Insignia of the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment.

• 
  French and Foreign Legion Parachute Brevet.
• 
  Circled Winged Armed Dextrochere of Foreign Legion Paratroopers

Insignias

The insignia of the Foreign Legion Paratroopers of France represents a closed <<winged armed dextrochere>>, meaning a "right winged arm" armed with a sword pointing upwards. The Insignia makes reference to the Patron of Paratroopers. In fact, the Insignia represents <<the right Arm of Saint Michael>>, the Archangel which according to Liturgy is the <<Armed Arm of God>>. This Insignia is the symbol of righteous combat and fidelity to superior missions.

• 
  1^er BEP
• 
  Co. Para du 3^e REI in the 1^er REP and 1^er BEP
• 
  1^er REP

Colonel Paul Marie Félix Jacques René Arnaud de Foïard
(1921-2005)

Company Commander

• 1948 - 1949 : Lieutenant Jacques Morin

Notable Officers and Legionnaires

• Lieutenant Paul Arnaud de Foïard (Section-Platoon Commander)

See also

• Pierre Segretain
• Pierre Jeanpierre
• Hélie de Saint Marc
• Airborne Units of France
• 25th Parachute Division
• 11th Parachute Brigade
• 10th Parachute Division
• 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
• 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment
• 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment

References

Foreign Legion Command French Foreign Legion
Honneur et Fidélité History of the French Foreign Legion Foreign Legion Pioneers (Pionniers) List of French paratrooper units Képi Blanc (publication)
Current Foreign Legion Units	Administrative Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments 1st Foreign Regiment Foreign Legion Command Foreign Legion Recruiting Group Infantry & Parachute Infantry 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte Cavalry 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment Engineer & Parachute Engineer 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment Training 4th Foreign Regiment Jungle Training Center Combat Training Center at Arta Beach
Defunct Foreign Legion Units	Administrative and Training Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments Parachute Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion Foreign Air Supply Company 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company Infantry 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 3rd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 4th Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment/Garibaldi Legion 1st Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment 21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 23rd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers Cavalry 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment 97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division Transport Armored Train of the Foreign Legion Disciplinary Disciplinary Company of the Foreign Regiments in the Far East Foreign Legion Brigades 31st Brigade (France)