6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

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

Creation and different nominations since 1951

• On May 16, 1948 : creation at Quimper of the 6th Colonial Parachute Commando Battalion, 6^e BCCP.
• On October 1, 1950 : became the 6th Colonial Parachute Commando Groupment, 6^e GCCP.
• On March 1, 1951 : became the 6th Colonial Parachute Battalion, 6^e BPC.
• On August 20, 1951 : dissolution of the 6th Colonial Parachute Battalion, 6^e BPC .
• On July 5, 1952 : the 6^e BPC is reconstituted at Saint-Brieuc, famed as the battalion of Bigeard.
• On May 8, 1954 : dissolution of the 6^e BPC
• on August 1, 1955 : effectifs of the dissolved battalion were reinforced by elements of IV/6^e RTS, formed the 6th Colonial Parachute Regiment, 6^e RPC.
• On July 10, 1957 : the 6^e RPC integrated the 10th Parachtue Division, 10^e DP.
• On December 1, 1958 : the 6th Colonial Parachute Regiment became the 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment, 6^e RPIMa.
• On June 30, 1998 : dissolution of the regiment within the cadre of the restructuring of the French Army.

History since 1948

Indochina

The Colonial Parachute Battalions pull their origins from the 1st Colonial Parachute Commando Demi-Brigade implanted in Brittany, being heir to the paratroopers of Free France, the SAS Demi-Brigade and the groupment of parachute choc battalions.

The 6^e BCCP made way to Indochina on July 28. The battalion fought valiantly on various sectors of the battle front and on March 30, 1951, the battalion resisted an enemy force four times larger for an entire night. Following a five hours of hand-to-hand combat, the battalion endured the loss of 51 men and 97 wounded.^[1]

The battalion was accordingly dissolved on August 20, 1951 during the embarking for France.

Recreated on July 5, 1952, the battalion illustrated capability at Tu Lê, in October 1952 and then Langson, in July 1953.

The 6th para engaged Dien Bien Phu twice. On November 20, 1953, the 6th, parachuted during Operation Castor and then on March 16, 1954, the 6th targeted the landing zone in the middle of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Despite heroic acts of valor led, the 6^e BPC disappeared again, and was accordingly reconstituted.

North Africa

Reformed in Marrakech, French protectorate of Morocco, on 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 on 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.

Lebanon

The regiment partook in various peacekeeping missions in Lebanon on numerous yearly designated occasions within the UNIFIL first then integrated the corps of the Multinational Force in Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War along with the 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment, the 1st Parachute Hussard Regiment and the 31^e Brigade which included the Operational Group of the Foreign Legion, the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment, the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment and the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment.

The regiment was dissolved 30 June 1998.

Traditions

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

Except for the Legionnaires of the 1^er REG, 2^ème REG, 2^ème REP that conserve the Green Beret; the remainder of the French army metropolitan and marine paratroopers forming the 11th Parachute Brigade wear the Red Beret.

• 
  French Commando Parachute Group Brevet of Chuteur Opérationnel
• 
  French and Foreign Legion Parachute Brevet.

The Archangel Saint Michael, patron of the French paratroopers is celebrated on 29 September.

The prière du Para (Prayer of the Paratrooper) was written by André Zirnheld in 1938.

Insignias

Just like the paratrooper Brevet of the French Army; the Insignia of French Paratroopers was created in 1946. The French Army Insignia of metropolitan Paratroopers 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. The French Army Insignia of Marine Infantry Paratroopers is backgrounded by a Marine Anchor.

• 
  Insignia of the 6^e B.C.C.P
• 
  Insignia of the 6^e R.P.C
• 
  Beret insignia of the Marine Parachute Units
• 
  former Beret insignia of Marine Parachute Units
• 
  Left arm insignia of the Troupes de Marine

The insignia is mounted with SAS dagger. the insignia was never modified, aside of the various successive inscriptions "BCCP", then "RPC", and finally "RPIMa".

Regimental Colors

Regimental Colors of the 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

The regiment was heir to the 6^e BCCP created in 1948 and the 6^e RPC. The Regimental Color of the 6^e RPIMa, heir of the 6th parachute battalion bears the inscription "INDOCHINE" with 5 citations at the orders of the armed forces for the following:

• 1950 Pho Trach and Chaple
• 1951 Mao Khé
• 1952 Tu Lé
• 1953 Langson
• 1954 Dien Bien Phu

The regimental color was passed to colonel Romain-Desfossés at Blida on November 5, 1957 by général Gilles.

In eleven years of campaign battles, the regimet endured the loss of 23 officers, 70 sous-officiers and 480 marsouins paratroopers.

The regiment bears wearing in golden letters in the folds, the following inscriptions^[2] · :^[3]

• INDOCHINE 1949-1954
• AFN 1952-1962

Decorations

The regimental colors of the 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment is decorated with:

• Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with:
  • 5 palms.

The regiment bears wearing 2 Fourragere:

• Fourragère bearing the colors of the Médaille militaire.
• Fourragère bearing the colors of the Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures.

• 
  Croix de Guerre TOE
• 
  Fourragère aux couleurs de la Médaille militaire
• 
  Fourragère aux couleurs de la Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures

Honours

Battle Honours

• Indochine 1949-1954
• AFN 1952-1962

Regimental Commanders (1948-1998)

Notable members of the 6^e RPIMa

• Marcel Bigeard
• Erwan Bergot
• Roland Corbineau
• Pierre Tourret

See also

• List of French paratrooper units

References

Sources and bibliographies

• Collectif, Histoire des parachutistes français, Société de Production Littéraire, 1975.
• Colonel Roger Flamand, Paras de la France libre, Éditions Presses de la Cité, 1976, ISBN 978-2-258-00036-0.
• Henry Corta, Les bérets rouges, Amicale des anciens parachutistes SAS, 1952.