Marcel Letestu

Marcel Letestu
Marcel Letestu
Born	8 April 1918; Joué-lès-Tours, France
Died	29 August 2006 (aged 88); France
Allegiance	France
Service/branch	French Army; Foreign Legion
Years of service	1936 - 1976
Rank	Général de brigade
Commands	1st Foreign Regiment; 1er RE; Operational Group of the Foreign Legion; GOLE; Foreign Legion Groupment; GLE; (1972-1973);
Battles/wars	World War II; Indochina War; Algerian War

Marcel Letestu (8 April 1918 – 29 August 2006) was a Général de brigade of the French Army and Commandant of the Foreign Legion.^[1]

Military career

Marcel enlisted in the French Army in 1936 and became a Sergent (Sergeant) 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 5^e REI where he was cited and wounded in 1952.

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

Promoted to Chef de bataillon (Commandant -Major) in 1958, he commanded a general staff headquarters 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.^[1]