Jacques Morin

Jacques Morin
Born November 7, 1924
France
Died May 31, 1995
Allegiance  France
Service/branch French Army
French Foreign Legion
Years of service 1942 - 1968
Commands held Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1er REP
10th Parachute Division 10e DP
Battles/wars World War II
Indochina War

Jacques Morin was a French officer and company commander of the Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment.[1]

Military career

In 1941, Jacques obtained the second part of his baccalaureate, at the Jesuits (French: Les Jésuites) of Saint-Genevieve.

At his sortie, he subscribed for 8 years at the ESM of Saint-Cyr (French: Saint-Cyr), which he joined at Aix-en-Provence where he was garrisoned in the Free Zone, on October 15, 1942. On November 27, the Italians and Germans encircled the school and demanded access to the arms depot. They put the student candidates on leave. A ceremony of offering birds was put into effect and it was in front of the enemy that Jacques Morin revealed his officer capability with only 2 months of school. Saint-Cyr was closed on December 6, 1942. The students were sent to the youth fields or had the option to enlist in a faculty in the capital. He was placed on armistice leave on March 1, 1943. After three attempts to join North Africa by Switzerland or Spain, he subscribed at the Oriental language school at Paris and conducted several visits to the Maquis where he became an instructor with the rank of a Caporal-chef on June 1, 1943. In March 1944, he left this Maquis group to join a clandestine group of Saint-Cyr, at another Maquis (French: Les Maquis) group at the corps of the resistance army organization (ORA). Denounced as a traitor, he was taken by the Germans on June 7, 1944. Interrogated at Fresnes, he was deported on August 15, to the Laura commando of the Buchenwald camp. With the Allies advancement, the commando was moved to Allach near Dachau. Liberated by the Americans (U.S.), on April 30, 1945, he remained in wait at the sanitary evaluation at the camp, where he escaped with the aid of a woman of the social services unit of the navy (French: La Marine) and a sailor (French: matelot), a former secretary of his uncle, a Submariner (French: Sous-mariniers) at Casablanca. He was brought back to France in an armored vehicle of Hitler, accompanied by and bringing back with him an Admiral (French: Amiral), incoming for inspection. He was placed on convalescence leave and assigned to CHR of the COI 113.

A decree of July 2, 1945 nominated him to the rank of sous-lieutenant as of October 1, 1943. He accordingly spent a brief tour at the Ruchard camp where by another decree of November 11, 1945, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, as of December 25, 1944. He was cited at the orders of the armed forces with Croix de guerre 1939-1945, for his liaison actions at the corps of the ORA and his deportation.

He rejoined the promotion « Victoire », at EMIA de Coetquidan, on March 9, 1946. Following the infantry application school and a drill series round at Pau, on April 8, 1947, he selected the Legion.

He arrived to the DCRE at Sidi bel-Abbes, on April 15, to be assigned to the first passing company. He then assumed the provisionary command of the depot company, on May 21, 1947.

Designated in reinforcement in the Far East (French: Extrême-Orient), he disembarked at Saigon to serve in the II/3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 3e REI, on December 7, 1947. Commanding a post in the bushes near RC4, he was called upon by colonel Simon, regimental commander of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 3e REI to assume command of a parachute company in course of being creatied as of April 1, 1948. During this affectation, he was wounded by bullet in the right thigh and obtained 3 citations. On June 1, 1949, his unit was dissolved and integrated the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 1er BEP, created in Algeria and which just arrived in Indochina. Adjoint (French: assistant) to the commandant and intelligence officer, he obtained another citation.

Repatriated by the end of tour, he was assigned to CAR 8 to benefit from his leave of campaign tour end.

On July 1, he was promoted to the rank of captain. Following the CFC, he was assigned to the 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion at Sétif which he joined on October 20, 1950.

Designated for a second deployment in Indochina, he disembarked at Saigon on March 13, 1951 and met with the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 1er BEP which was filling ranks after being annihilated. Cited again, he was awarded 4 Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures and the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.

Repatriated by the end of tour, he disembarked at Marseille and CAR 3 filled his leave of campaign tour end on June 19, 1953.

His resuming of service on September 1, 1953 sees him assigned to the 18th Colonial Infantry Parachute Regiment 18e RIPC at Pau. He was designated accordingly as an instructor at the infantry application school of Saint-Maixent, which he joined on September 15, 1954.

He met with the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1er REP at Zeralda and assumed the function of superior assistant officer (designated as general staff headquarters at the époque), on August 1, 1956. He was decorated with the rosette of the Officier of the Legion of Honour on August 1956.

The Suez operation was his first intervention on African soil (French: Terre Africaine), then under the orders of lieutenant-colonels Brothier and Jeanpierre, he participated to all the operations of the unit, including in the territories South towards Touggout and Laghouat. Promoted to Chef de bataillon on March 31, 1958, he assumed the provisionary command of the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1e REP following the death of their regimental commander, lieutenant-colonel Pierre Jeanpierre on July 5, 1958. In North Africa (AFN), he was cited at the orders of the brigade and 5 times and the orders of the armed forces. He was promoted to the rank of Commandeur of the Legion of Honour in September 1958.

On September 1959, he commanded the 2nd battalion of the EOA at ESMIA de Coetquidan then in 1960, he was assigned to the general staff headquarters of the 10th Parachute Division 10e DP in quality as chief of the general staff of the division. Following an indifference with general Saint-Hillier, he was assigned to metropolis, at the technical inspection of the TAP, on April 1, 1961, just before the genera's putsch.

Physically marked by his diseases contracted in deportation or in Indochina, marked morally with the 1961 affairs of Algeria, he benefited from a long leave. He was then put at disposition then reintegrated. He resumed service at the military subdivision of Paris in 1966 and the 64th Military Division at Dijon in 1967.

He was admitted to his rights for retirement after 25 years of service on March 21, 1968.

In 1970, he was elevated to the dignity of Grand Officier of the Legion of Honour.

In 1983, the Legion honored him for the commemoration of the 120th year anniversary of Camerone, where he was the ceremonial chief.

In 1997, a promotion of Saint-Cyr adopted him as their patron.

Jacques Morin passed away on May 31, 1995.

Recognitions and Honors

See also

References

  1. ↑ Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, History of the 2e REP, The origins...


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