Military eagle

Military eagles (Polish: orły wojskowe) are military insignia used in the Polish Armed Forces, based on the White Eagle of the Polish coat of arms. They are used on elements of military uniforms such as hats and buttons, as well as on military banners, flags, medals, emblems, publications etc. One variant exists for each of the four branches of the Armed Forces. Additionally, the Minister of National Defence, the Marshal of Poland, and generals and admirals use their own variants.

Image	English name Polish name	Design
	Land Forces Eagle Orzeł Wojsk Lądowych	White eagle with a golden beak and talons, crowned with a closed golden crown, its wings raised and its head turned to the right, perched on an Amazon shield[1]
	Navy Eagle Orzeł Marynarki Wojennej	White eagle with a golden beak and talons, crowned with a closed golden crown, its wings raised and its head turned to the right, perched on a blue Amazon shield, placed on which is a golden anchor entwined with an S-shaped rope[1]
	Air Force Eagle Orzeł Lotnictwa Wojskowego	White eagle with a golden beak and talons, crowned with a closed golden crown, its wings raised and its head turned to the right, perched on an Amazon shield and surrounded by stylized hussar wings[1]
	Special Forces Eagle Orzeł Wojsk Specjalnych	White eagle with a golden beak and talons, crowned with a closed golden crown, its wings raised and its head turned to the right, perched on a black Amazon shield
	Territorial Defence Force Eagle Orzeł Wojsk Obrony Terytorialnej	White eagle with a golden beak and talons, crowned with a closed golden crown, its wings raised and its head turned to the right, perched on an Amazon shield, placed on which is the "PW" (for Polska Walcząca, "Poland Fights") anchor (kotwica)
	Generals' (Admirals') Eagle Orzeł generałów (admirałów)	White eagle with a golden beak and talons, crowned with a closed golden crown, its wings raised and its head turned to the right[2]
	Eagle of the Marshal of Poland Orzeł Marszałka Polski	White eagle with a golden beak and talons, crowned with a closed golden crown, its wings raised and its head turned to the right, holding two crossed hetman's batons (buławy) with golden knobs[2]
	Eagle of the Ministry of National Defence Orzeł Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej	White eagle with a golden beak and talons, crowned with a closed golden crown, with its wings raised and its head turned to the right, surrounded by the circular inscription MINISTERSTWO OBRONY NARODOWEJ (Ministry of National Defence)[2]

Officer's rogatywka cap	Cap of the Navy of Poland

See also

• Order of the White Eagle

References

1. Ustawa z dnia 19 lutego 1993 r. o znakach Sił Zbrojnych Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej [Insignia of the Polish Armed Forces Act], Dz. U. z 1993 r. Nr 34, poz. 154 (1993-02-19)
2. Zarządzenie Ministra Obrony Narodowej z dnia 29 stycznia 1996 r. w sprawie szczegółowych zasad używania znaków Sił Zbrojnych Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej oraz ustalenia innych znaków używanych w Siłach Zbrojnych Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej [Ordinance of the Minister of National Defence on Detailed Rules for the Use of the Insignia of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland and Establishment of other Insignia Used in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland], M.P. z 1996 r. Nr 14, poz. 178 (1996-01-29)

External links

• "Znaki Sił Zbrojnych RP. Odznaki tytułów honorowych oddziałów i pododdziałów wojskowych". Wortal Wojsko Polskie (in Polish). Miniterstwo Obrony Narodowej (Ministry of National Defence). Retrieved 2007-10-20.
• Pietras, Tomasz. "Od słowiańskich stanic do orzełka wojskowego. Z dziejów polskiej symboliki wojskowej" (PDF) (in Polish). Retrieved 2007-10-20.