5th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion

5th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion
Active 19531954
Country  France
Allegiance French Army
Type Airborne forces
Role Infantry
Size Battalion
Nickname(s) 5e Bawouan

The 5th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion (Fr: 5e bataillon de parachutistes vietnamiens) was a French-Vietnamese paratroop battalion formed in Hanoi, French Indochina in 1953.

Operational history

The 5th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion (5 BPVN) was one of five battalions of Vietnamese paratroopers raised by the French Army between 1951 and 1957 as part of General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny's policy to establish a Vietnamese Army. Its cadre was drawn from 3rd and 23rd Indochinese companies of the 3rd Colonial Commando Parachute Battalion (3 BCCP).

The battalion participated in Operation Pike (September - October 1953), Operation Castor (November 1953) and the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.

Commanding officers

Sources

See also

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