Indochina: Transport Squadron 1/64 Béarn

[No one]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

The insignia of the Transport Squadron 1/64 Béarn (Escadron de Transport 1/64 Béarn - E.T.1/64 Béarn), will be approved (homologué) A 1067 on May 7, 1976, Arthus-Bertrand Paris:

 

 

Escadron de transport 4/61 Béarn — Wikipédia (wikipedia.org)

 

"On 18 October 1945, the GB 1/34 Béarn became the GT 1/34 Béarn Transport Group. It now belongs to the Sub-Grouping of Military Air Transport Means (SGMMTA). He exchanged his B-26 Marauder bombers for the Junkers 52 transport planes, nicknamed "Julies".

The crews left for Indochina by boat on January 16, 1946. They were stationed on February 7, 1946 at Bien Hoa. Equipped only with C-47s and various Japanese aircraft, the group was isolated in a hostile zone without means, supplies or equipment. In the absence of infrastructure, the crews build their own squadrons. They were not familiar with these machines, the weather conditions were difficult and the mountainous environment did not help: a first crash took place on June 14, 1946, with only one survivor.

In September 1946, GT 1/34 took delivery of 15 Junker 52s. He then carried out supply missions (transport of freight, ammunition, armaments, passengers) in Tonkin, Upper Laos and Cochinchina. For these successes, the Group received the congratulations of LAG Leclerc and a third palm for its Croix de Guerre of 1939-1945.

In November 1946, Hanoi was surrounded and Béarn, almost alone, supported the city with 150 supplies per day in a hostile zone for 2 months. The squadron suffered its first losses. LAG Molière, commander of the Tonkin forces, declared: "It was the JU-52s that saved Hanoi."

The first bombings with napalm and conventional bombs also began: these were very dangerous operations, because the planes flew over hostile areas at very low altitude at only 160 km/h, making them easy targets for the Viets.

In February 1947, Béarn moved to Tan Son Nhut to join II/15 Anjou. In July of the same year, it took the name of Groupe de Transport 1/64 Béarn and two months later Major Viot took over as its leader. The Group received its first citation in the order of the army with the award of the Croix de Guerre des Théâtres d'opérations extérieur (TOE), with 11,000 flight hours and 4930 missions in one year.

In October 1947, Béarn took part in the capture of Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Tuyen Quang and Hoa Bing. On 9 October, CDT Viot, head of Béarn, was killed on a parachute drop mission with 4 crew members, their plane was shot down by the Viet anti-aircraft guns. He kept the burning plane in line to let the paratroopers evacuate and a few escaped before it crashed.

In 1948, Béarn took part in the pacification of Cochinchina, Annam, and Cambodia. The year 1949, for its part, was marked by participation in major operations: Parasol, Diane, Huong-Su-Phy, Phulo, Pomone, Canigou, Bastille, Hung, Vaï, Anthracite. Five crews were killed that year, three of whom were shot down by the DCA.

In May 1950, alongside Franche-Comté, Béarn dropped a battalion of paratroopers on Dong Khé. The operation mobilized 27 Junkers and 2 Dakotas who flew low to avoid detection. It was a success, the position was taken back.

In September 1950, the French troops suffered the Viet offensive on the RC4: Béarn evacuated Cao Bang and then Lang Son. At the same time, it carried out bombing, resupplying and parachuting reinforcement missions. In October 1950, Béarn was present everywhere: Bach Mai, Touraine, Nha Trang, Vientiane, to continue its missions and evacuate the civilian population.

On December 18, 1950, the Ju52s of the commander and his second in command collided in flight during a bombing mission. Both crews were killed, the Group lost, in addition to its two leaders, four officers, the chief engineer and non-commissioned officers.

In April 1951, the Béarn was stationed at Nha Trang. It carried out airlifts, bombings, and PTT missions, i.e. flights at very low altitude with a weighted rope to cut the Vietminh lines of communication. On 14 November, it took part in Operation Lotus: 5 battalions were dropped in 3 rotations on HOA BINH, alongside Anjou and Franche4. A runway was built for the JU52s and an entrenched camp was built. The camp was supported until February 1952 and its evacuation.

In September 1952, the Dakota C47s gradually replaced the old Ju-52s, and the parachute missions of "firefly" illumination bombs were mixed with the dropping of troops. At the beginning of 1953, GT 1/64 carried out numerous airlifts on C-47s between Tonkin and Laos, and participated in operations throughout Indochina.

On November 20, 1953, Operation Castor took place: 6 battalions of paratroopers were dropped on Dien-Bien-Phu by 65 Dakotas. The mission of the Béarn was to parachute equipment to set up the airfield. It drops up to 100t/day. At the same time, Béarn participated in the evacuation of Laï-Chau.

On March 12, 1953, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu began. This was followed by resupply missions, napalm bombings, medical evacuations and "firefly" missions. 125 parachute drops under enemy fire were carried out, and 35 night drops of paratroopers. Everything was done under the fire of the DCA, in bad weather, in the middle of a basin surrounded by mountains culminating at 1800m. The last mission in the basin was a medical evacuation, the C47 was destroyed on the ground with Geneviève de Galard and Captain Blanchet, second in command of the Group, on board. The battle of Dien-Bien-Phu cost Béarn 5 planes: three on the ground were destroyed by artillery, two in flight: one crew was killed, one captured.

A withdrawal to Hanoi and then Tan Son Nhut (Saigon) was carried out in June. Béarn then established a Hanoi-Saigon airlift in September and October 1954. The Group, the last unit present in Indochina, was disbanded on 13 July 1956. It conducted 30,108 war missions in 73,597 flight hours and lost 88 personnel.

During the Indochina War, it received 8 citations in the order of the Air Force, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre TOE, and in June 1955 he was awarded the fourragère of the Legion of Honor."

 

NOTE: not to be confused with the aircraft carrier Béarn  French aircraft carrier Béarn - Wikipedia

 

 

Yours sincerely,

No one