Posted on 12/08/2012 1:18:07 PM PST by DogByte6RER
The most exposure I ever had to the French Foreign Legion was when I watched the classic film "Beau Geste" many years ago. Any FReepers with military experience ever serve around these legionnaires? Do they live up to their reputation? Thanks for the feedback.
Until Uncle Barack deploys you to Texas to wipe out the rabid secessionists.
I backed down a Legionnaire when I was spending time with the 13th RDP in France, when I felt that he was taking advantage of a much smaller NCO of the 13th, I have always regretted that it didn’t turn into an more interesting story, but it did go a long way to endear me with the 13th though, and it paid for my drinks that night.
I still have my application for the Legion, but what changed my mind was the 5 year enlistment, that was just too much of a commitment.
I actually seriously considered this after leaving the Army in the mid 70’s. I read a publication back then called Soldier Of Fortune, published by a guy named Robert K Brown (I think), it ran a few articles on the Legion. My wife did not like the idea. End of story
Huh? A large number of the posters to this thread will probably be veterans of the US Armed Forces who considered the Legion after they were already American vets. Their interest was in the uniqueness of the Legion, not what you think would be basically duplicating their American military service.
We should have responded with similar force when our consulate personnel came under fire.
General Schwarzkopf was made an honorary PFC in the Foreign Legion in 1991. During the presentation he was told if he ever runs into any trouble anywhere in the world, to give them a call.
I used to work with a lady whose Son was in the 101st Airborne.
I was talking to him about the invasion of Iraq. His outfit along with the French Foreign Legion operated together in a sweep way to the left of the main attack.
One of the amusing stories he told was they were all eating supper and the Americans noticed the French were about to have a regular feast. Their officer went over to the French and after talking a bit, they swapped meals.
The FFL had MRE’s and the Americans, the feast. He said the French actually liked the MRE’s.
Fighting for France is certainly "unique".But then so is trying to remove your own liver with a pair of pliers.I'd never give either activity a second's worth of consideration.
I ran away when I was a kid and joined the circus. I started out cleaning the animal cages and helping set up the tents and rings and so forth. After a couple of years, they let me sell popcorn and soft drinks. It was a pretty hard life. I usually slept in the straw in the horse trailer. I decided that I wasn’t going anywhere selling popcorn, so I started developing my own act. After a few years, I asked the circus owner if I could show him the act and he said OK. I had taken to picking up the stray cats that would hang around the circus. I had taught them some tricks and formed them into what I called STEVE AND THE ROYAL CATS OF RANGOON. Cats are natural circus performers. Well, the act consisted of the cats doing various gymnastic routines and we finished with a reenactment of Napoleon’s retreat from Russia. The owner was wowed. We did three years on tour with the circus and I saved every dime I made. After those three years, I had really become attached to the cats. They had provided entertainment to millions of people and given me a comfortable living. Some of the kitties were getting on in years and I could see that it was time to leave the big top. Well, the circus was in Louisiana, and I decided to retire the act there. I bought a small place and redid the house so every kitty had their own room. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I came to own a cat house in New Orleans.
They kicked some serious butt in Korea also.
Their commander was Raoul Magrin-Venerey better known by
his nom de guerre “Ralph Monclar”
He took the name to avoid German reprisals against his family during WWII
Supoosedly wounded 17 times
Check out list of decorations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raoul_Magrin-Vernerey
That is two, really stupid posts in a row, that you have made
You are so clueless and uninterested in the legion, I don’t know why you are on this thread.
Rather than troll, why not just read other people’s posts.
A good and long history of the FFL:
Great movie...”I promise you”
Also a book on Dien Bien Phu which has a lot of FFL history (some still volunteering to parachute in after the battle was lost, but fighting still going on. )
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