Valentin Béhélo was born on July 22, 1901, in Le Robert, Martinique, to a family of cabinetmakers. After completing primary school, he fulfilled his military service in the Martinique Infantry Battalion in 1922 and chose to reenlist in 1924. From 1925 to 1929, he served in Morocco, where he was promoted to corporal in 1926 and to sergeant the following year. He later served for four years in Tonkin (modern-day Vietnam) and two years in Senegal before being assigned in October 1939 as a sergeant chief to the 24th Infantry Colonial Regiment stationed in Lebanon. In June 1940, with the 3rd Company of the 24th Infantry Colonial Regiment under Captain Folliot, Béhélo crossed into Palestine with false mission orders to join the British forces. Alongside other French volunteers gathered at the Moascar camp, he helped form the 1st Battalion of Marine Infantry, which became the first unit of the Free French (French Liberators). During the first campaign in Libya, from August 1940 to May 1941, Béhélo distinguished himself by taking on the most dangerous positions. He was promoted to sergeant on October 1, 1940, and later received a bullet wound to his right leg and several injuries from bomb fragments during the Battle of Tobruk. In May 1941, while stationed in Palestine at the Qastina camp, Béhélo was awarded the Cross of Liberation by General Charles de Gaulle for his actions in Libya. He then took part in the Syria campaign in June 1941 and was promoted to sergeant chief. In April 1942, he joined the Marching Battalion No. 11, which became part of the 2nd French Free Brigade under General Cazaud. With this unit, he fought in the second campaign in Libya and later in the critical Battle of El Alamein in Egypt in October 1942. Béhélo participated in the final stages of the Tunisia campaign in May 1943 before being seriously injured by a mine fragment at Cap Bon on October 3, 1943. He suffered wounds to his neck and shoulder, perforated eardrums, and required the amputation of his right forearm. After being discharged from the hospital in December 1943, he was assigned to the 3rd Regiment of Senegalese Riflemen (3rd RTS). In September 1946, he was granted a cadre discharge and retired to Aix-en-Provence. He later became a member of the Council of the Order of Liberation in 1958. Valentin Béhélo died on October 8, 1987, in Saint-Cannat in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, where he was buried. He was honored with several medals, including the Knight of the Legion of Honor, Companion of Liberation, and the Military Medal.