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Operation Castor
Opération Castor was a French airborne operation in the First Indochina War. The operation established a fortified airhead in Điện Biên Province, in the north-west corner of Vietnam and was commanded by Brigadier General Jean Gilles. The Operation began at 10:35 on 20 November 1953, with reinforcements dropped over the following two days. With all its objectives achieved, the operation ended on 22 November. ''Castor'' was the largest airborne operation since World War II. Execution The French paratroopers of the 6ème Bataillon de Parachutistes Coloniaux (6 BPC) and the 2nd Battalion of the 1er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes (II/1er RCP) dropped over Dien Bien Phu on the first day in order to secure the airstrip built by the Japanese during the occupation of French Indochina by Japan from 1940 to 1945. The operation took 65 of the 70 operational C-47 Dakota and all 12 C-119 Flying Boxcar transport aircraft the French had in the area, and still required two trips t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam) began in French Indochina from 19 December 1946 to 20 July 1954 between France and Việt Minh (Democratic Republic of Vietnam), and their respective allies. Việt Minh was led by Võ Nguyên Giáp and Hồ Chí Minh. Most of the fighting took place in Tonkin in Northern Vietnam, although the conflict engulfed the entire country and also extended into the neighboring French Indochina protectorates of Laos and Cambodia. At the Potsdam Conference in July 1945, the Combined Chiefs of Staff decided that Indochina south of latitude 16° north was to be included in the Southeast Asia Command under British Admiral Mountbatten. The Japanese forces located south of that line surrendered to him and those to the north surrendered to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. In September 1945, Chinese forces entered Tonkin, and a small British task force landed at city of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment
The 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment (french: 1er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes, 1er R.C.P) is the oldest and among the most decorated airborne regiments of the French Army. Established in the French Army in 1943 and formerly part of the French Air Force since 1937, the chasseur distinguished its Regimental Colors during the campaigns of the Liberation of Paris, the First Indochina War in 1947, 1950, 1953, 1954 and the Algerian War. This elite regiment is part of the 11th Parachute Brigade. The 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment is the only French parachute regiment that traces its roots to the French Air Force, hence the representation of a golden Hawk on the rank insignia and that of uniforms and which originally referred to the 601st Airborne Infantry Group and 602nd Airborne Infantry Group respectively (601e G.I.A, 602e G.I.A). History, creation and different nominations The Genesis In 1935, the Soviet Union successfully parachuted airborne contingents with various ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martin Windrow
Martin C. Windrow (born 1944) is a British historian, editor and author of several hundredWindrow, Martin ''The Last Valley'', preface books, articles and monographs, particularly those on organizational or physical details of military history, and the history of the post-war French Foreign Legion.Osprey Publishininfo page retrieved on March 10, 2007 His most notable works include ''The Last Valley'', an account of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu during the First Indochina War, which was published in 2004 to "critical acclaim", and ''Our Friends beneath the Sands'' published in 2010. Biography Windrow was educated at Wellington College, a boarding independent school in the village of Crowthorne in Berkshire. He began working on commission as an editor of articles on military and aviation history in the 1970s. He is an Associate of the Royal Historical Society The Royal Historical Society, founded in 1868, is a learned society of the United Kingdom which advances scholarly studie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bernard B
Bernard (''Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''bern'' "bear" and ''hard'' "brave, hardy". Its native Old English reflex was ''Beornheard'', which was replaced by the French form ''Bernard'' that was brought to England after the Norman Conquest. The name ''Bernhard'' was notably popular among Old Frisian speakers. Its wider use was popularized due to Saint Bernhard of Clairvaux (canonized in 1174). Bernard is the second most common surname in France. Geographical distribution As of 2014, 42.2% of all known bearers of the surname ''Bernard'' were residents of France (frequency 1:392), 12.5% of the United States (1:7,203), 7.0% of Haiti (1:382), 6.6% of Tanzania (1:1,961), 4.8% of Canada (1:1,896), 3.6% of Nigeria (1:12,221), 2.7% of Burundi (1:894), 1.9% of Belgium (1:1,500), 1.6% of Rwanda (1:1,745), 1.2% of German ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phillip Davidson
Phillip Buford Davidson Jr. (November 26, 1915 – February 7, 1996) was an American lieutenant general who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Biography Davidson was born on November 26, 1915, in Hachita, New Mexico. Davidson attended West Point, graduating in 1939. During World War II, he served as assistant intelligence officer in the 96th Infantry Division. Later, he served as a squadron commander in George Patton's Third Army. Following the war, he was assigned as an instructor to the Army's School of Intelligence in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Starting in 1948 and continuing throughout the Korean War, Davidson was chief, Plans and Estimates Branch, in General Douglas MacArthur's intelligence office. It was during this time that occurred one of the US Army's greatest intelligence failures in history - not predicting Chinese intervention in the Korean War. In 1969, while assigned as commanding General of the Army training center at Fort Ord, Califo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company
The 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company () was an ephemeral foreign airborne heavy mortar company of the Foreign Legion which fought during the First Indochina War at the corps of the French Far East Expeditionary Corps. History In August 1953, lieutenant Jacques Molinier serves in the 1st Vietnamese Parachute Battalion ( 1er BPVN). Accordingly, he is tasked by the headquarters of Hanoi to form a heavy mortar parachute combat company integrated in the French Foreign Legion and based in Tonkin. Created on September 1, 1953, based on elements, mainly artillery specialist of the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion ( 1er B.E.P) and 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion ( 2e B.E.P); the created combat company is administratively attached to the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion ( 1er B.E.P). The rear base of the company is situated at Quynh Loï, South of Hanoï. The first operation launched by the 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company ( 1re C.E.P.M.L) was to support of the 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bataillon De Parachutistes De Choc
Bataillon is a surname of French origin. Notable people with the surname include: * Jean Eugène Bataillon (1864–1953), French biologist * Joseph Bataillon (born 1949), American judge * Marcel Bataillon (1895–1977), French Hispanicist * Quentin Bataillon (born 1993), French politician {{surname Surnames of French origin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brigitte Friang
Brigitte Friang (23 January 1924 – 6 March 2011) was a French journalist and writer. Friang was born in Paris in 1924 and immediately after leaving school in Paris in 1943 joined the French resistance.Friang (1958), 12–24. Working in the same group as Colonel F. F. E. Yeo-Thomas, she was captured by the Gestapo, shot while trying to escape, then taken to Fresnes Prison and tortured, before being deported to Ravensbrück concentration camp.Fall, 138. After the war, Friang was liberated and returned to Paris where she worked for four years as a press aide to André Malraux, before becoming a journalist. In 1953, she was sent to French Indochina as a war correspondent.Friang (1958), 25–27. There she undertook parachute training and was dropped, in the opening hours of Operation Castor, into Điện Biên Province, in the north-west corner of Vietnam.Simpson, 29. She made several combat jumps including one with Lt Col Bigeard's 6th Colonial Paratroop Battalion at Tu-Le after w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1st Foreign Parachute Battalion
The 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion (french: 1er Bataillon Etranger de Parachutistes (1er BEP)) was a parachute battalion of the Foreign Legion formed from the Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment. History 1er Bataillon Etranger de Parachutistes, 1er BEP - I, II, III Formations - The 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion, (1er BEP, I formation) was created on July 1, 1948 at Khamisis, in Algeria. Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, History of the 2e REP, the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion ''1er Bataillon Etranger de Parachutistes'' The 1er BEP embarks in Indochina on November 12 and is engaged in combat operations in the Tonkin. On June 1, 1949, the [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
320th Division (Vietnam)
The 320th Division or Đồng Bằng Division (Vietnamese: ''Sư đoàn Đồng Bằng'', Delta Division) is a formation and one of the six original "Steel and Iron Divisions" of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). It was established in January 1951. First Indochina War The Division was the target of Operation Mouette, launched on 15 October 1953, with the aim "to fix and destroy a major element of the Chu Luc before Giáp could deploy it." The route for the Viet Minh between Thanh Hoa and the Red River Delta contained a crossroads at Lai Cac which was targeted by the operation. Seven Mobile Groups (''Groupes Mobiles'') were deployed with river and amphibious units; tank units (largely the M24 Chaffee); half-tracks and paratroopers at designated landing sites, after counter-intelligence misled the Viet Minh into defending the wrong locations. GM 2 and GM 3 took Lai Cac and established a camp. The night of 18 October saw heavy counterattacks, which the French resisted. The 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
35th Parachute Artillery Regiment
The 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment (french: 35e Régiment d'Artillerie Parachutiste, List of French paratrooper units, 35e RAP) is the only List of French paratrooper units, airborne artillery unit of the French Army forming the List of French paratrooper units, air artillery component of the List of French paratrooper units, 11th Parachute Brigade. It is based in Tarbes together with the List of French paratrooper units, air cavalry, the 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment. History The 35th Artillery Regiment (french: 35e Régiment d'Artillerie) was created on 7 October 1873 in Vannes and counted 9 Artillery battery, artillery batteries equipped with 75mm cannons. The regiment was first commanded by Colonel Ferdinand Foch from 1903 to 1905; the Chief of the Defence Staff (France), Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front with title bearing Generalissimo, Généralissime (Field marshal (United Kingdom), British Field Marshal, Royal 22nd Regiment, 22nd Royal Canadian Army, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
17th Parachute Engineer Regiment
The 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment (french: 17e Régiment de Génie Parachutiste, 17e RGP) is heir to the traditions of the 17th Colonial Engineer Regiment (french: 17e Régiment Colonial du Génie, 17eRGC) which illustrated itself during World War II. It is the only airborne engineer unit of the French Army forming the engineering component of the 11th Parachute Brigade and secures all the specific airborne engineering missions relative to para assaulting at the level of deep reconnaissance as well as operations relative to para demining and handling explosives. The regiment has been present non-stop since 1975 on all theatres of operations (Lebanon, Tchad, New Caledonia, French Guiana, Pakistan, Kurdistan, Kuwait, Cambodia, Somalia, Rwanda, Gabon, Mozambique, ex-Yugoslavia, Albania, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Mali and others). For its various combat operational deployments, the 17e RGP was cited 3 times at the orders of the armed forces, 2 times at the orders of the armed forces c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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