Jean Olié

Jean Olié
Born	March 24, 1904 France
Died	2003 (99 years of age)
Allegiance	France
Service/branch	French Army French Foreign Legion
Years of service	1924-1961
Rank	Général d'armée
Commands held	1st Foreign Infantry Regiment Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Inspector of the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (1950)
Battles/wars	World War II
Other work	Secretariat-General for National Defence and Security

Jean Olié (March 24, 1904 - 2003) was a French Général of the French Army, the 1st Inspector of the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion and served primarily in the French Foreign Legion from 1924 to 1961.

Military career

Jean entered the École spéciale militaire in 1924, and was a commissioned a sous-lieutenant in 1926 (Rif promotion). Following his commission, he served in the 4th Foreign Regiment 4^e R.E. and with the Goums (French: Les Goums; light infantry units of the Army of Africa) where he acquired a great deal of cultural knowledge and was an expert connaisseur around Muslim affairs.

World War II

In 1939, while serving in the general staff headquarters of the 14th Infantry Division (French: 14^e Division d'Infanterie), he was wounded and held captive. He managed to escape and joined Morocco.

In 1943, while delegating responsibility of the operations bureau of the 1st Army, he prepared the disembarkings of Elba and the disembarking of Provence. He then became the commander of the general staff headquarters of the 5th Infantry Division (French: 5^e Division d'Infanterie).

In 1944, he took command of the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (French: Régiment de marche de la Légion étrangère, R.M.L.E) towards the end of the war.

He then assumed more commanding responsibility functions at the territorial level, with civilian powers of authority in North Africa.

In 1950, he reorganized the French Foreign Legion by creating the Operational Group of the Foreign Legion. He then commanded the École spéciale militaire and École militaire interarmes of Saint-Cyr.

He was then nominated as the civilian and military governor of grand Kabylie, and of the corps d'armée of Constantine.

In 1960, he was nominated as the commander of the particular general headquarters staff of the President of the Republic, as well as the Secretariat-General for National Defence and Security (French: Secrétariat général de la défense et de la sécurité nationale).

He ended his service on July 31, 1961.

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
• Médaille du sauvetage
• Médaille des évadés
• Chevalier de l'ordre du Mérite agricole
• Distinguished Service Order (U.K)
• Bronze Star Medal (U.S.)
• Honorary Battlefield Badge Honneur du champ de bataille (U.S.)
• Mérite Militaire Chérifien

He totalized 14 citations.

See also

• Moroccan Division

References

Sources

• Képi blanc 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)