6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

6e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine

Regimental insigne
Active 1948-1951
1952-1953
1955-1998
Country France
Branch French Army
Type Infantry
Role Airborne
Motto Croire et Oser (To Believe and Dare)
Anniversaries Saint-Michel Day
Engagements First Indochina War
*Battle of Mao Khe
*Operation Castor
*Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Algerian War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Marcel Bigeard

The 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (French: 6e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine, 6e RPIMa) was an airborne unit of the French Army.

History

Indochina

Formed as the 6th Colonial Commando Parachute Battalion in Quimper, Brittany on 16 May 1948 from elements of the 1st Colonial Commando Parachute Demi-brigade, disembarks in Saigon, French Indochina, in July 1949. The battalion distinguished itself in fighting throughout the First Indochina War. It was dissolved after the 1954 Battle of Dien Bien Phu.

North Africa

Reformed in Marrakech, French protectorate of Morocco, in 1 August 1955 and named 6th Colonial Parachute Regiment. Active in the French colonies of French protectorate of Tunisia, French protectorate of Morocco and, particularly, French Algeria during the Algerian War as a part of the 10th Parachute Division,.

France

The regiment leaves French Algeria in 6 July 1961 and regroups in Verdun. From January 1963 it was stationed in Mont-de-Marsan, the old instruction base for Colonial Parachute Brigade. The regiment was dissolved 30 June 1998.

Commanders

  • Major Vernières (1948-1950)
  • Captain Balbin (1950-1951)
  • Major Marcel Bigeard (1952-1954)
  • Major Victor Chaudrut (1954-1955)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Jacques Romain-Desfossés (1955-1958)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Ducasse (1958-1959)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Balbin (1959-1962)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Picherit (1962-1963)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Bley (1963-1965)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Le Guillou (1965-1967)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Ziegler (1967-1969)
  • Lieutenant Colonel de Llamby (1969-1971)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Vincendon (1971-1973)
  • Lieutenant Colonel de Tonquedec (1973-1975)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Béal (1975-1977)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Dentin (1977-1979)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Bertin (1979-1981)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Serpol (1981-1983)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Urwald (1983-1985)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Quadri (1985-1987)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Bordron (1987-1989)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Gandouly (1989-1991)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Perrin (1991-1993)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Champenois (1993-1995)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Caille (1995-1997)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Dumousseau (1997-1998)

Officers and marines

Lineage

Honours

Battle Honours

Decorations