Yes. Though not necessarily Legionnaires most of whose paratroop assets were already in the base.

For example on May 2-3, 107 men of Lt Edme's 2 coy, 1st BPC (Colonial Parachute Battalion) were dropped into the base. Edme's wife was 8 months' pregnant. The next night, 121 men of the 3rd company went in.

On this night de Castries and Langlais, the base commanders, heard over the radio the death of the last officer on the nearby Huguette 4, shot-down by assaulting Viet Minh troops on air as he called for reinforcements. By now, the French perimeter was small and there could be no movement above ground without attracting fire. The Viet Minh had searchlights and radar-directed AA guns.

On May 6 the French discussed escape plans and the Viet Minh prepared and executed attacks to capture the last positions defending the central area, including detonating a large mine under the crucial Eliane 2 hill. The following morning the last French hill positions (of course many troops were not French) on the west side were taken, ammunition had largely run out. Several officers had been captured and the last depleted, cohesive units smashed. This left the dubious defence of a few strong points beside the river itself.

On the night of May 6, these were attacked. At Hanoi Airport, Dakotas revved up, loaded with men of 1st company, 1 BPC. Before departure, an officer commander, Lt Gibeaux, penned the following: "The DZ is so small we're dropped by sticks of eight. We have no illusions about the outcome of the battle. I don't have the courage to write to my parents. If you don't hear from me again, you know what you have to do".

A medical officer, Staub, who came in on this drop, the last, found Dr Grauwin in the central hospital (actually a filthy tunnel of mud, blood and faeces, filled with 1300 wounded and dying). Grauwin asked Staub what was the opinion of the French high command in Hanoi.

"They say it will be over soon," said Straub. "Then why did the 1st BPC jump?" "You know the paras: we win or die together".

(Sources: Valley of Death, Ted Morgan. The Last Valley, Martin Windrow).