| Unit Name: | 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment |
| Native Name: | 3 Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine |
| Dates: | January 8, 1948 – present (same unit, different designations) 3e BCCP 1948 3e GCCP 1950 3e BCCP 1951 3e BCCP 1951 3e BPC 1952 3e BCCP 1955 3e RPC 1955 3e RPIMa 1958 – present |
| Country: | France |
| Branch: | |
| Command Structure: | 11th Parachute Brigade 3rd Division |
| Type: | Airborne regiment |
| Role: | Air assault Anti-tank warfare Artillery observer Bomb disposal CBRN defense Close-quarters combat Counterinsurgency Desert warfare Direct action Forward air control Irregular warfare Jungle warfare Long-range penetration Mountain warfare Parachuting Patrolling Raiding Reconnaissance Special reconnaissance Urban warfare |
| Size: | ~1,120 |
| Garrison: | Carcassonne, France |
| Motto: | Être et durer (To Be and endure) |
| Colors: | Red and blue |
| Battles: | First Indochina War |
| Current Commander: | Philippe Pottier |
| Notable Commanders: | Marcel Bigeard Roger Trinquier Guy Le Borgne |
| Anniversaries: | Saint-Michel Day |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Insignia of the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment |
| Identification Symbol 2: | 3e RPIMa |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Abbreviation |
The 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (French: 3<sup>e</sup> Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine, 3<sup>e</sup> RPIMa) is one of the airborne force regiments of the Troupes de Marine. It is heir to the 3rd Colonial Commando Parachute Battalion created in 1948 and the 3rd Colonial Parachute Regiment . The regiment is part of the 11th Parachute Brigade.[1]
The battalion filled the ranks with the thousands throughout the various campaign battle courses of dissolutions and reformations. The battalions of this regiment are heir to the 1st Colonial Parachute Commando Demi-Brigade, another heir of the paratroopers of Free France, the Demi-Brigade of the SAS, of the Parachute Choc Groupment Battalions, whose regimental colors was decorated with the Légion d'honneur in July 1954.
| valign=top | Campaign Participation Engagement 3rd Colonial Parachute Commando Battalion(1948–1950)
Campaign Participation Engagement
Campaign Participation Engagement
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Created in January 1948, the 3rd Colonial Parachute Commando Battalion 3e BCCP went to Indochina on November of the same year. Cited twice at the orders of the armed forces, the battalion was dissolved in October 1950 after having been destroyed in the Battle of Route Coloniale 4 along the Chinese border. During this episode, 3 BCCP of Captain Cazaux and the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion of Commandant Pierre Segretain, disappeared.
Recreated on December 27, 1951, the battalion was designated as the 3rd Colonial Parachute Battalion]] 3e BPC, gaining another citation at the orders of the armed forces.
The battalion was then dissolved again, providing the reformation of another battalion.
Recreated again, the battalion was designated as the 3rd Colonial Parachute Regiment (3e RPC) in November 1955 under the orders and disposition of Lieutenant-colonel Bigeard.
Designated as the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment in December 1958, the regiment joined the metropole and stationed in July 1962. The regiment formed a part of the 11th Light Intervention Division.
In 1968, the regiment intervened in Chad during the first civil war.
The regiment took part in various peacekeeping missions in Lebanon with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon first then integrated the corps of the Multinational Force in Lebanon. During one of these various peacekeeping interventions, the regimental commander, Colonel Jean Salvan was severely wounded.
The regiment then deployed in Djibouti, again in Chad, Central African Republic, New Caledonia, Togo, Gabon, the Gulf War, Turkey, Zaire, Ex-Yugoslavia, Congo, and Kosovo where the regiment acquired the fifth respective citation.
The regiment has been deployed in combat, combat support, peacekeeping and multipurpose mission operations throughout the world after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
During an "open day" for the public on Sunday 29 June 2008 at Laperrine Barracks, Carcassonne, a Sergeant fired a rifle using a magazine containing live bullets rather than blanks as intended. The magazine had remained loaded after an earlier exercise. 17 people were hit by bullets including 15 civilians, including at least four children, the youngest aged 3 who was hit in the heart and arm[2] The most senior of six officers who lost their jobs because of the incident was the Chief of Staff of the French Army, General Bruno Cuche, who resigned two days after the incident after intense criticism from the President of the Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy. Another was the Commander of the Regiment.[3]
The regiment is composed of 1120 personnel organized into 8 companies:[1]
Except for the Legionnaires of the 1ème REG, 2ème REG, 2ème REP that conserve the Green Beret, the remainder of the French army metropolitan and marine paratroopers forming the 11th Parachute Brigade wear the Red Beret.
The Archangel Saint Michael, patron of the French paratroopers is celebrated on September 29.
The prière du Para (Prayer of the Paratrooper) was written by André Zirnheld in 1938.
Just like the paratrooper Brevet of the French Army, the insignia of French Paratroopers was created in 1946. The French Army insignia of metropolitan Paratroopers represents a closed "winged armed dextrochere", meaning a "right winged arm" armed with a sword pointing upwards. The insignia makes reference to the Patron of Paratroopers. In fact, the insignia represents "the right Arm of Saint Michael", the Archangel which according to Liturgy is the "Armed Arm of God". This insignia is the symbol of righteous combat and fidelity to superior missions. The French Army insignia of Marine Infantry Paratroopers is backgrounded by a Marine Anchor.
Since its creation, the regiment has endured the loss of 476 Officers, Sous-Officiers and paratroopers of the 3e RPIMa.
| valign=top | Tes Anciens ont souffert sur la pisteComme des chevaliers et des preuxToi le vaillant parachutiste,Toujours prêt à faire aussi bien qu'eux.Car il faudra para, car il faudra paraEn découdre par le poignard et par la poudre Ton chemin sera toujours la pisteDans la nuit, la chaleur ou le froidOù sans cri tombe un parachutistePiste sans fin toujours devant toi.Car il faudra para, car il faudra paraEn découdre par le poignard et par la poudre Si tu dois en finir sur la piste,Que ce soit en beauté comme ceuxQui sont morts en vrais parachutistescomme des chevaliers et des preux.Car il faudra para, car il faudra para En découdre par le poignard et par la poudre | valign=top |
Si tu crois en ton destin,Si tu crois aux lendemains,L'ami faut pas hésiter,Prends ton sac et viens sauter,Avec nous tu pourras marcherTu pourras être et durer.Refrain Pour aimer et pour souffrirY a pas de moyens de trouver tout çaPour toi sans aucun douteViens chez les paras. Si tu retournes au PaysSi tu vas revoir ta miePour nous tu lui conterasNos chants, nos cris, nos combats,Mais qu'elle t'attende ou qu'elle t'oubliePense à ceux qui sont là-bas. Si tu vas au bout du risque,Si tu restes sur la pisteLa piste sauvage et belleLa piste garce et cruelle,Mourant, tu sauras l'aimer Car elle t'aura tout donné. |
The regimental colors of the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (3e RPIMa) are as follows:
The regiment has received one citation sans croix at the orders of the armed forces for the peace intervention in Lebanon in 1978, which was replaced with a citation bearing attribution of the Croix de la Valeur militaire with palm.
The citation at the orders of the brigade was awarded for action while leading allied forces in Kosovo in 1999.
On May 21, 2012, the regimental colors were decorated again with the croix de la valeur militaire with palm for service in Afghanistan within the cadre of ISAF.
The regiment bears wearing Fourragère:
3rd Colonial Parachute Commando Battalion, 3e BCCP
3rd Colonial Parachute Battalion, 3e BCP
3rd Colonial Parachute Regiment, 3e RPC
3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment, 3e RPIMa