Jean Olié

Jean Olié (March 24, 1904 - 2003) was a Général of the French Army and the 1st Inspector of the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion serving primarily in the French Foreign Legion from 1924 to 1961.

Military career
Jean entered the École spéciale militaire in 1924, and was a commissioned a Sous-lieutenant in 1926 (Rif promotion).

Jean was assigned to the 28th Chasseur Battalion à Pied (28e Battaillon de Chasseur à Pied) on October 2 1926.

Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on October 1 1928, Jean served in the 4th Foreign Regiment 4e R.E. on July 10 1931 and with the Goums (Les Goums; light infantry units of the Army of Africa) where he acquired a great deal of cultural knowledge and was an expert connaisseur around Muslim affairs.

Placed hors cadre, on October 20 1933, at the title of special services of North Africa. He was placed at the disposition resident commissioner general in Morocco.

He was promoted to Captain on December 25 1935.



Assigned on December 7 1936, to the directorate of political affairs at Rabat. He joined the 46th Infantry Regiment (46e Régiment d'Infanterie) on September 1 1939.

On November 1 1940, he was assigned to the mobilization of the general staff headquarters of the 41st Division (41e Division).

On December 25 1941, he was promoted to the rank of Chef de battaillon (Commandant - Major).

In armistice leave on April 9 1942, he was recruited at the corps of the indigenous affairs controllers of Morocco. Reintegrated in the armistice army on August 16 1942, he was placed hors cadres at the general staff headquarters of the 15th Military Division.

Detached on December 1 1942 to the 1e RCA, he then was designated as the general secretariat of the region of Rabat, on March 24 1943.

On September 25 1943, he was nominated as a Lieutenant-colonel.

Detached again, on January 23 1944, to the 1e RCA.

He was assigned to the general staff headquarters of the 3rd Army Corps (3e Corps d'Armee) of February 7 1944, then at the general staff headquarters of Army B, on September 14 1944, as chief of the 3rd bureau of the 1st French Army.

In 1944, he took command of the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion RMLE (Régiment de marche de la Légion étrangère, R.M.L.E) towards the end of the war, succeeding regimental commander Lieutenant-colonle Louis-Antoine Gaultier.

He was chief of the cabinet of general commandant of the 1st French Army (1re Armée Française), from November 24 1944, then chief of the general staff headquarters of the 3rd Armored Division (3e Division Blindée), on January 18 1945.

He was promoted to the rank of Colonel on January 25 1945.

He entered to general cabinet, Inspector General of the Army, on May 10 1946. Commandment of the territories of Agadir-Confins, on May 31 1947, then, general secretariat of the region of Rabat, on December 31 1947 and director of indigenous affairs course, on August 30 1950.

He assumed command of the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion in 1950, and was succeeded by his second in command, général Paul Gardy.

Admitted to the 1st section of officer generals on January 1 1953.

Military cabinet of the general, commissioner general resident of France in Morocco, on August 31 1954. He was designated as the Commandant the École spéciale militaire and École militaire interarmes of Saint-Cyr from 1954 to 1956.

He was then nominated as the civilian and military governor of grand Kabylie on August 28 1956.

He was promoted to Général de division on March 1 1957.

On August 9 1958, Jean Olié was put at the disposition of general director of the institute of high studies of national defense (institut des hautes études de la défense nationale) and center of high military studies (centres des hautes études militaires).

Elevated to the rank and designation of Général de corps d'armée on January 1 1959.

He assumed command of the army corps of Constantine on March 30 1960.

Elevated to the rank and designation of Général d'armée on September 8 1960.

In 1961, he served simultaneously as Chief of the Military Staff of the President of the Republic of France (État-major particulier du président de la République Française), as well as the Secretariat-General for National Defence and Security (Secrétariat général de la défense et de la sécurité nationale).

Jean Olié ended his service as of November 1, 1961. He was admitted by anticipation in the 2nd section of officer generals.

On April 30 1975, he was the ceremonial chief of the Legion's commemoration of Camarón.

Recognitions and Honors

 * Legion Honneur GC ribbon.svg Grand Croix de la Légion d'honneur
 * Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 ribbon.svg Croix de guerre 1939-1945 (4 palms)
 * Croix de Guerre des Theatres d'Operations Exterieurs ribbon.svg Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures (3 palms)
 * Croix de la Valeur Militaire ribbon.svg Croix de la Valeur militaire (3 palms)
 * Médaille du sauvetage
 * Ordre du Merite agricole Chevalier 1999 ribbon.svg Chevalier de l'ordre du Mérite agricole
 * Medaille des Evades ribbon.svg Médaille des évadés
 * Dso-ribbon.png Distinguished Service Order (U.K)
 * Bronze Star Medal ribbon.svg Bronze Star Medal (U.S.)
 * Honorary Battlefield Badge (Honneur du champ de bataille) (U.S.)
 * Mérite Militaire Chérifien

He totalized 14 citations and is a Caporal-Chef d'Honneur (Honorary Senior Corporal) of the French Foreign Legion.