6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

The 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (6e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine, 6e RPIMa) was an airborne unit of the French Army.

Indochina
Formed as the 6th Colonial Commando Parachute Battalion in Quimper, Brittany on 16 May 1948 from elements of the 1st Colonial Commando Parachute Demi-brigade, disembarks in Saigon, French Indochina, in July 1949. The battalion distinguished itself in fighting throughout the First Indochina War. It was dissolved after the 1954 Battle of Dien Bien Phu.

North Africa
Reformed in Marrakech, French protectorate of Morocco, in 1 August 1955 and named 6th Colonial Parachute Regiment. Active in the French colonies of French protectorate of Tunisia, French protectorate of Morocco and, particularly, French Algeria during the Algerian War.

France
The regiment leaves French Algeria in 6 July 1961 and regroups in Verdun. From January 1963 it was stationed in Mont-de-Marsan, the old instruction base for Colonial Parachute Brigade. The regiment was dissolved 30 June 1998.

Officers and marines

 * Erwan Bergot
 * Roland Corbineau
 * Pierre Tourret

Lineage

 * 1948: 6th Colonial Commando Parachute Battalion
 * 1951: Dissolved
 * 1952: 6th Colonial Parachute Battalion
 * 1953: Dissolved
 * 1955: 6th Colonial Parachute Regiment
 * 1958: 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
 * 1998: Dissolved

Battle Honours

 * Indochine 1949-1954
 * AFN 1952-1962

Decorations

 * Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with 5 palms.