Pierre Jeanpierre
Encyclopedia
Pierre Paul Jeanpierre (14 March 1912 – 29 May 1958) was a French Army
officer. He fought during World War II
, the First Indochina War
, the Suez Crisis
and the Algerian War, where he was killed in action
. Apart from a short time in the French resistance
, he served exclusively with French Foreign Legion
units, most notably as commander of the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
.
in 1937 in the 1st Foreign Regiment
of the French Foreign Legion
. After World War II
started in 1939, he served in the 6th Foreign Regiment, deployed in Levant
.
He refused to join the Free French Forces
, instead chose to return to the Legion in Marseilles. There he joined the French Resistance after the invasion of the free zone
by German and Italian forces in November 1942 (Operation Anton). He was taken prisoner in 1944 and interred in the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
.
After the war ended, he rejoined the legion and volunteered to serve in the Foreign Legion parachute units. He sailed to Indochina as second-in-command to Pierre Segrétain
in the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion
(1er BEP) in 1948. During the evacuation of RC 4
, he and the battalion jumped over That Khe. He took over much of the leadership of the battalion after the commander was crippled. It was Jeanpierre who led the 29 survivors of the battalion who managed to escape to French lines. Evacuated to Algeria to recover, he returned to Indochina to command the reformed 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion after its second annihilation at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
.
After the battalion became a regiment he was passed over for command, instead serving again as second-in-command, this time to Colonel Albert Brothier. He took command of the regiment in March, 1957. He was killed in action in a helicopter crash on 29 May 1958.
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
officer. He fought during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
, the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
and the Algerian War, where he was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
. Apart from a short time in the French resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
, he served exclusively with French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
units, most notably as commander of the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment was an airborne unit of the Foreign Legion. It fought in the First Indochina War, Suez Crisis and Algerian War, but was disbanded after taking part in a putsch against the French government in 1961....
.
Biography
He joined the 131st Infantry Regiment as private in 1930 and worked his way up, graduating from officer school in 1936. He was made Second LieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in 1937 in the 1st Foreign Regiment
1st Foreign Regiment
The 1st Foreign Regiment is the senior regiment in the French Foreign Legion. Today the regiment is mainly administrative, and provides staff for the Command of the Foreign Legion....
of the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
started in 1939, he served in the 6th Foreign Regiment, deployed in Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
.
He refused to join the Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
, instead chose to return to the Legion in Marseilles. There he joined the French Resistance after the invasion of the free zone
Case Anton
Operation Anton was the codename for the military occupation of Vichy France carried out by Germany and Italy in November 1942.- Background :...
by German and Italian forces in November 1942 (Operation Anton). He was taken prisoner in 1944 and interred in the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen Concentration Camp grew to become a large group of Nazi concentration camps that was built around the villages of Mauthausen and Gusen in Upper Austria, roughly east of the city of Linz.Initially a single camp at Mauthausen, it expanded over time and by the summer of 1940, the...
.
After the war ended, he rejoined the legion and volunteered to serve in the Foreign Legion parachute units. He sailed to Indochina as second-in-command to Pierre Segrétain
Pierre Segrétain
Pierre Côme André Segrétain was a French Army officer, that fought in World War II and the First Indochina War, primarily in Foreign Legion units...
in the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion
1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment was an airborne unit of the Foreign Legion. It fought in the First Indochina War, Suez Crisis and Algerian War, but was disbanded after taking part in a putsch against the French government in 1961....
(1er BEP) in 1948. During the evacuation of RC 4
Battle of Route Coloniale 4
The Battle of Route Coloniale 4 was a battle of the First Indochina War. The battle lasted from 30 September to 18 October 1950...
, he and the battalion jumped over That Khe. He took over much of the leadership of the battalion after the commander was crippled. It was Jeanpierre who led the 29 survivors of the battalion who managed to escape to French lines. Evacuated to Algeria to recover, he returned to Indochina to command the reformed 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion after its second annihilation at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union's French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The battle occurred between March and May 1954 and culminated in a comprehensive French defeat that...
.
After the battalion became a regiment he was passed over for command, instead serving again as second-in-command, this time to Colonel Albert Brothier. He took command of the regiment in March, 1957. He was killed in action in a helicopter crash on 29 May 1958.
Decorations
- Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
- Croix de guerre 1939-1945Croix de guerre 1939-1945 (France)The Croix de guerre 1939–1945 is a French military decoration created on September 26, 1939, to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis force at any time during World War II.-Recipients:...
- Croix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations ExterieuresCroix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations ExterieuresThe Croix de guerre des théâtres d’opérations extérieures is a French medal rewarded for military service in foreign countries. It is granted to individuals who have received citations for their actions while engaged in military service overseas.-History:...
- Médaille de la RésistanceMédaille de la RésistanceThe French Médaille de la Résistance was awarded by General Charles de Gaulle "to recognise the remarkable acts of faith and of courage that, in France, in the empire and abroad, have contributed to the resistance of the French people against the enemy and against its accomplices since June 18,...
with rosette - Croix de la Valeur MilitaireCroix de la Valeur MilitaireThe Croix de la Valeur Militaire is a military decoration of France that recognizes individual holding a mention in Dispatches earned in theaters of operations which are not subject to the award of the Croix de guerre....
- Médaille coloniale
- Médaille commémorative de la campagne d'IndochineMédaille commémorative de la campagne d'IndochineThe Médaille commémorative de la campagne d'Indochine was a French military medal established on 1 August 1953 for the participants of the Indochina War. The medal was created to honor the members of the French Far East Expeditionary Corps, regular and reserve, for service in Indochina...
- Médaille commémorative des opérations de sécurité et de maintien de l'ordre en Afrique du Nord