By May 1950, elements of the 2nd BEP were back in Central Vietnam. The 2nd Company jumped at My Trach to provide security for an airborne medical unit treating casualties. With the beginnings of Giap’s Colonial Route 4 campaign, two companies were rushed to North Vietnam on September 20, 1950, where three days later they jumped at Sin Ma Kay to allow a Moroccan battalion to withdraw. On October 24, 1950, the remainder of the 2nd BEP arrived in Tonkin to replace the destroyed 1st BEP. The 2nd BEP fought throughout Tonkin, and was at Dong Trieu to blunt Giap’s offensive in April 1951, as well as in the Day River battles of May 1951. In June and July 1951 the 2nd BEP was at Phat Diem, and on August 8 – 9, 1951 jumped into Kontum to blunt a Viet Minh threat to the Central Highlands. Following operations around Kontum, then Hue, the 2nd BEP returned to Hanoi for the October 4, 1951 drop at Gia Hoi in the Black River highlands, which forced the Viet Minh to abandon their attack on Nghia Lo. In November 1951 the 2nd BEP returned to South Vietnam, but was again called north in December 1951, when Giap accepted De Lattre’s challenge at Hoa Binh. After major engagements at Ba Vi, Yen Cu and Ap Da Chong along the lower Black River, the unit moved to Colonial Route 6 for road clearing operations.

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Withdrawn to Hanoi on February 26, the 2nd BEP continued to operate throughout Tonkin, and participated in the airborne raid on Phu Doan in November 1952, the only occasion that the two BEPs were on the same airborne operation. In late February 1953 the 2nd BEP was rushed to Na San, but within days it was back in the Hanoi area, trudging through the delta. During Giap’s Spring 1953 offensive into Laos, the 2nd BEP was airlifted to the Plain of Jars, where it cleared the road to Luang Prabang and fought at Ban Ban. On July 17, 1953, the 2nd BEP jumped into Loc Ninh (North Vietnam) to cover the withdrawal of the Lang Son raiding force.

After rest at Hanoi, the 2nd BEP was back in the delta on continuous operations, and missed the initial jump into Dien Bien Phu. On December 27, 1953, the unit was airlifted to Laos, where after two weeks of operations it moved to Saigon, and then Nha Trang, for an amphibious landing near Tuy Hoa. The 2nd BEP next moved into the Central Highlands to clear Viet Minh forces from west of Pleiku, and along Colonial Route 19 between An Khe and Dak Ayoun.

Following Giap’s 13 March attack at Dien Bien Phu, the 2nd BEP was rushed back to Hanoi. Between April 9 and 11, 1954, it dropped into the besieged camp. By 24 April the unit’s casualties had been so heavy that the survivors merged with those of the 1st BEP to form the Provisional BEP. In the two weeks fighting that followed, the Provisional BEP also was annihilated. On June 1, 1954, the rear base of the 2nd BEP merged with the newly arrived 3rd BEP to create a new 2nd BEP, which moved from Cat Bi to Tan Son Nhut on July 21, 1954.

The 2nd BEPs last combat action was fought at Thu Dau Mot on July 30, 1955. It continued to perform security duties in the area after the cease – fire. The 5th Company was stationed at Pleiku from January through May 1955. Following final airborne maneuvers in the Courtenay Plantation region in September 1955, the 2nd BEP departed Saigon for Algeria on November 1, 1955, leaving behind 19 officers, 45 NCOs and 707 Legionnaires killed in action.

1st Foreign Heavy Mortar Parachute Company (1st CEPML):
Formed on September 1, 1953 with elements from the 1st and 2nd BEPs, the company was attached to the 1st BEP. On November 21, 1953 it jumped into Dien Bien Phu with the 1st BEP, and provided fires in support of the entire garrison from positions at Strongpoint Eliane, where some of the hardest fighting took place. Officially inactivated on 1 June 1, 1954, the 1st CEPML’s Legion cadres were transferred to the 1st BEP.

3rd Foreign Aerial Resupply Company (3rd CERA):
Formed as a mixed aerial resupply company (CRA) in North Vietnam in October 1948, the 3rd CERA existed as a Legion unit from January 1, 1951 until September 1, 1951, after which it went back to being a mixed unit as the 3rd CRA. It both rigged and loaded equipment, and kicked the bundles out of aircraft, and participated in all major French airborne operations in North Vietnam and Laos, receiving three unit citations. The 3rd CERA was attached to the 1st BEP for administration, but operated under operational control of Airborne Base – North. It was inactivated in April 1954

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