1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company

The 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company (1re Compagnie étrangère parachutiste de mortiers lourds, 1re CEPML) was an airborne heavy mortar company that briefly existed during the First Indochina War from September 1953 to 31 May 1954.

History
The company was established in Hanoi on September 1, 1953 from elements of the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion and the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion, mostly of artillery specialists. It was attached to the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion for administrative purposes. The 1re CEPML was created with the challenge to be operational within two months of its foundation. In this regard the 1re CEPML was successful and the company was able to participate in Operation Castor making its first combat jump on November 20, 1953 over Dien Bien Phu. The 1st CEPML made a combat jump alongside Chef de Battalion Marcel Bigeard's 6th Colonial Parachute Battalion.