Marcel Letestu

Marcel Letestu
Born	April 08 1918 France
Died	August 29, 2006 (88 years of age) France
Allegiance	France
Service/branch	French Army French Foreign Legion
Years of service	1936 - 1976
Rank	Général de brigade
Commands held	Foreign Legion Groupment (1972)
Battles/wars	World War II Indochina War Algerian War

Marcel Letestu ( April 8, 1918 - August 29, 2006 ) was a French Général of the French Army who served an entire career in the French Foreign Legion.

Military career

Marcel enlisted in the French Army in 1936 and became a Sergent in 1938. A Sous-Officiers in the franc corps of the 160th Infantry Regiment (French: 160^e Régiment d'Infanterie de Forteresse) in 1939 to 1940 at the front, he was made captive during the Phoney War. He managed to escape a stalag and joined the free zone.

He entered to the École militaire interarmes of Cherchell. He graduated as a major of his promotion.

At the end of war, he was named as an instructor at the perfection officer school (French: école de perfectionnement des officiers) of Achern. In 1950, he was the champion of France for precision shooting and recordman for rapid shooting.

Promoted captain in 1951, he joined the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment where he was cited and wounded in 1952.

He then served in Algeria where he commanded a battalion of the 1st Foreign Regiment. He was then assigned to the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr, where he commanded a company prior assuming the role of an infantry instructor.

Promoted to Chef de bataillon in 1958, he commanded a headquarter staff division of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 3^e REI in the Sud-Oranais. He then commanded the Foreign at Madagascar, prior to becoming the regimental commander of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1^e RE in 1970. During his tenure, the Operational Group of the Foreign Legion G.O.L.E was created, then in 1972, the Foreign Legion Groupment G.L.E at Aubagne and the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2^e REI, leading to the formation of the Commandement de la Légion Étrangère which he assumed the first command.

He leaves the command of the Legion in 1973 to command, in 1974, the 23rd Territorial Military Division. He leaves active duty service in 1976.

Since October 22, 1977, général Letestu is the Patron of the École militaire interarmes promotion « Lieutenant Chezeau » (E.M.I.A 1977-1978) of the 1st Parachute Hussard Regiment 1^er RHP.

Recognitions and Honors

• Grand-croix de la Légion d'honneur
• Croix de guerre 1939-1945
• Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures
• Croix de la Valeur militaire
• Croix du combattant volontaire
• Médaille des évadés
• Croix du combattant

He was commended 13 times, 8 of which were in the Army order.

See also

• List of French paratrooper units
• 31st Brigade

References

Sources

• History and Patrimony Division of the French Foreign Legion (French: Division histoire et patrimoine de la Légion étrangère)

Foreign Legion Command French Foreign Legion
Honneur et Fidélité History of the French Foreign Legion Foreign Legion Pioneers (Pionniers) List of French paratrooper units Képi Blanc (publication)
Current Foreign Legion Units	Administrative Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments 1st Foreign Regiment Foreign Legion Command Foreign Legion Recruiting Group Infantry & Parachute Infantry 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte Cavalry 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment Engineer & Parachute Engineer 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment Training 4th Foreign Regiment Jungle Training Center Combat Training Center at Arta Beach
Defunct Foreign Legion Units	Administrative and Training Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments Parachute Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion Foreign Air Supply Company 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company Infantry 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 3rd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 4th Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment/Garibaldi Legion 1st Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment 21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 23rd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers Cavalry 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment 97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division Transport Armored Train of the Foreign Legion Disciplinary Disciplinary Company of the Foreign Regiments in the Far East Foreign Legion Brigades 31st Brigade (France)