Copain

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An untranslatable term peculiar to the Foreign Legion, a copain is your buddy, your partner, the one you share your cigarettes and alcohol with.  'Best Friend' would be about the closest English term, in Marine Corps speak 'bunkie', now unused.  You watch each other's back.  This is not a situation like the Theban Sacred Band, you can look that up for yourself.  This is another idea I had for my Dien Bien Phu story.  There was an incident towards the end of the tragedy.  A patrol of soldiers tried to cross the length of the airfield to relieve an isolated post, one of the Huguette emplacements.  These men were under immediate observation and drew pre-registered mortar fire at once.  The first round went off between their officer's legs.  Even though the soldiers were under extremely heavy shellfire they tried to bring the lieutenant to safety.  Seeing this, the young soldier drew his pistol and killed himself rather than have his men harmed.  This is one of the greatest acts of bravery I have read about yet it is a typical, unknown story that war produces so much of.  I am amazed at how France squandered their best men in this pointless battle.  Tomorrow marks the 67 anniversary of the fall of the 'fortress', one more day and the cease fire would have kicked in and the French forces could have marched out of the murderous quagmire the high command had put them in.  The incident that speaks volumes about the entire disaster was the French artillery commander, Colonel Piroth, a one armed man of immense experience and bravery, killed himself with a grenade 2 days after the start of the siege.  He had guaranteed French artillery supremacy, not realizing that the Vietnamese forces could place cannons anywhere they desired.
 

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