3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
The 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (French: 3e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine, 3e RPIMa) is one of the airborne force regiments of the Troupes de Marine. It is heir to the 3rd Colonial Commando Parachute Battalion created in 1948 and the 3rd Colonial Parachute Regiment . The regiment is part of the 11th Parachute Brigade.[1] The battalion filled the ranks with the thousands throughout the various campaign battle courses of dissolutions and reformations. The battalions of this regiment are heir to the 1st Colonial Parachute Commando Demi-Brigade, another heir of the paratroopers of Free France, the Demi-Brigade of the SAS, of the Parachute Choc Groupment Battalions, whose regimental colors was decorated with the Légion d'honneur in July 1954. Creation and different nominations
History since 1948Created in January 1948, the 3rd Colonial Parachute Commando Battalion (3e BCCP) went to Indochina on November of the same year. Cited twice at the orders of the armed forces, the battalion was dissolved in October 1950 after having been destroyed in the Battle of Route Coloniale 4 along the Chinese border. During this episode, 3 BCCP of Captain Cazaux and the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion of Commandant Pierre Segretain, disappeared. Recreated on December 27, 1951, the battalion was designated as the 3rd Colonial Parachute Battalion (3e BPC), gaining another citation at the orders of the armed forces. The battalion was then dissolved again, providing the reformation of another battalion. Recreated again, the battalion was designated as the 3rd Colonial Parachute Regiment (3e RPC) in November 1955 under the orders of Lieutenant Colonel Marcel Bigeard. 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (1958–present)Designated as the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment in December 1958, the regiment joined the metropole and stationed in July 1962. The regiment formed a part of the 11th Light Intervention Division. In 1968, the regiment intervened in Chad during the first civil war. The regiment took part in various peacekeeping missions in Lebanon with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon first then integrated the corps of the Multinational Force in Lebanon. During one of these various peacekeeping interventions, the regimental commander, Colonel Jean Salvan was severely wounded. The regiment then deployed in Djibouti, again in Chad, Central African Republic, New Caledonia, Togo, Gabon, the Gulf War, Turkey, Zaire, Ex-Yugoslavia, Congo, and Kosovo where the regiment acquired the fifth respective citation. The regiment has been deployed in combat, combat support, peacekeeping and multipurpose mission operations throughout the world after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. During an "open day" for the public on Sunday June 29, 2008, at Laperrine Barracks, Carcassonne, a Sergeant fired a rifle using a magazine containing live bullets rather than blanks as intended. The magazine had remained loaded after an earlier exercise. 17 people were hit by bullets including 15 civilians, including at least four children, the youngest aged 3 who was hit in the heart and arm[2] The most senior of six officers who lost their jobs because of the incident was the Chief of Staff of the French Army, General Bruno Cuche, who resigned two days after the incident after intense criticism from the President of the Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy. Another was the Commander of the Regiment.[3] Campaigns
CompositionThe regiment is composed of 1120 personnel organized into 8 companies:[1]
TraditionsMarine paratroopers forming the 11th Parachute Brigade wear the Red Beret. The Archangel Saint Michael, patron of the French paratroopers is celebrated on September 29. The prière du Para (Prayer of the Paratrooper) was written by André Zirnheld in 1938. InsigniaJust 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[dubious – discuss] 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.
Regimental colorsSince its creation, the regiment has endured the loss of 476 Officers, Sous-Officiers and paratroopers of the 3e RPIMa. Regimental song
DecorationsThe regimental colors of the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (3e RPIMa) are as follows:
The regiment has received one citation sans croix at the orders of the armed forces for the peace intervention in Lebanon in 1978, which was replaced with a citation bearing attribution of the Croix de la Valeur militaire with palm. The citation at the orders of the brigade was awarded for action while leading allied forces in Kosovo in 1999. On May 21, 2012, the regimental colors were decorated again with the croix de la valeur militaire with palm for service in Afghanistan within the cadre of ISAF. The regiment bears wearing Fourragère:
HonoursBattle honours
Regimental Commanders3rd Colonial Parachute Commando Battalion, 3e BCCP
3rd Colonial Parachute Battalion, 3e BCP
3rd Colonial Parachute Regiment, 3e RPC
3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment, 3e RPIMa
Notable members of the 3e RPIMa
See alsoReferences
Sources and bibliographies
External links
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