Georges Hamacek
Encyclopedia
Georges Marion Pierre Hamacek (1 December 1923 – 11 May 1953) was a French Army
officer, who fought in World War II
in the French Resistance
and in the First Indochina War
in the Foreign Legion
.
. There he quickly raises in the ranks, becoming a deputy section chief, and earning the Croix de guerre with two citations. When the war ends he enrolls at the École militaire interarmes on 3 July 1945 and graduates on 15 December the same year with the rank of Second Lieutenant. He chooses the Foreign Legion and was sent to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
in Aubagne.
He volunteered for service in the Far East and landed in Saigon in June 1946. At the end of 1947, the battalion was sent to patrol the RC 4, where Lieutenant Hamacek receives another citation. He also receives the Légion d’honneur for his repeated acts of courage and command of the 1st Company of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment. In 1951, Hamacek was transferred to the 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion and then the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion
in 1952. He was killed in action in Laos on 11 May 1953.
The 1989-1992 promotion of the Saint Cyr Military Academy was named Capitaine Georges Hamacek in his honour.
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
officer, who fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
and in the First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
in the Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
.
Biography
Georges Hamacek was born in a family of Czech immigrants. He joined the resistance network Turma-Vengeance in January 1944 before joining the Maquis Bernard in MorvanMorvan
The Morvan is a mountainous massif lying just to the west of the Côte d'Or escarpment in Burgundy, France. It is a northerly extension of the Massif Central and is of Variscan age. It is composed of granites and basalts and formed a promontory extending northwards into the Jurassic sea.-Music:The...
. There he quickly raises in the ranks, becoming a deputy section chief, and earning the Croix de guerre with two citations. When the war ends he enrolls at the École militaire interarmes on 3 July 1945 and graduates on 15 December the same year with the rank of Second Lieutenant. He chooses the Foreign Legion and was sent to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
The 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the French Foreign Legion. The regiment is stationed in French Guiana, protecting the Centre Spatial Guyanais.-World War I:...
in Aubagne.
He volunteered for service in the Far East and landed in Saigon in June 1946. At the end of 1947, the battalion was sent to patrol the RC 4, where Lieutenant Hamacek receives another citation. He also receives the Légion d’honneur for his repeated acts of courage and command of the 1st Company of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment. In 1951, Hamacek was transferred to the 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion and then the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion
2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment
The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment is an Airborne regiment of the French Foreign Legion. It is a part of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste and the spearhead of the French Rapid reaction force.-Indochina:...
in 1952. He was killed in action in Laos on 11 May 1953.
The 1989-1992 promotion of the Saint Cyr Military Academy was named Capitaine Georges Hamacek in his honour.
Decorations
- Knight of the Légion d’honneur
- Croix de guerre 1939-1945Croix de guerre 1939-1945 (France)The Croix de guerre 1939–1945 is a French military decoration created on September 26, 1939, to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis force at any time during World War II.-Recipients:...