Military War Eagles

A short History of Colonel Rank and War Eagles

This article deals with the rank insignia of United States' Colonel's.

The method of identifying colonels was initially established by General George Washington on July 23, 1775 when he stated: "…the field officers may have red or pink colored cockades in their hats, …". Although there is evidence that colonels wore the eagle as rank insignia in 1829 when they transferred the gold or gilt eagles that decorated their hat cockades to their collars. In 1832, gold eagles were authorized for infantry colonels because they were placed on silver epaulettes and silver eagles to be placed on gold epaulettes were authorized for all other colonels.

In 1851, the silver epaulettes for infantry was abolished and all epaulettes became gold. As a result, all colonel insignia of grade became silver. The 1851 regulation included illustrations which show the embroidered eagle on the shoulder strap faced the arrows while the eagle worn on the epaulettes faced the olive branch. Apparently due to the lack of specifications, the direction of the eagle’s head depended upon the manufacturer.

Metal Eagles
Metal insignia was authorized to be worn on the khaki blouse in 1902. The colonel’s insignia was described as a silver spread eagle. There is no reference as to the direction of the eagle’s head nor are there illustrations. The 1917 uniform specifications and regulations describe the insignia as a metal silver spread eagle, 3/4 inch high and 2 inches between the tips of the wings. It was worn on the shoulder loop, beak to the front, and on the right collar of the shirt with the eagle’s beak to the front. In 1921, the size of the eagle was reduced from 2 inches to 1½ inches between the tips of the wings. The height of the insignia remained unchanged at 3/4 inch. Yet during the Spanish American War examples of metal War Eagles have been found and once again they would have been un-official.

World War I War Eagles
In 1926, the insignia was made in pairs with the head of the eagle facing to the front when worn. This was the first reference to the insignia being made in pairs. To do this, the eagle’s head was reversed on one insignia – the insignia worn on the right shoulder had the eagle’s head facing the laurel branch. On the left shoulder, the eagle’s head faced the arrows. The insignia with the eagle’s head facing the arrow became known by the term "war eagle". During World War II some manufacturers made both Eagles with the head facing the arrows as War Eagles.

World War II
During WWII many War Eagles were made and most had only one Eagle facing the arrows of war while some had both heads facing the arrows. Another famous set of War Eagles from WWII were the oversized “Bull” Colonel insignia. These were originally made by a clothing manufacturer to fit on the Army wool winter overcoat. The regular Colonel insignia just looked too small. The Bull eagles were 2 inch while regulation were 1½ inches.

In 1951, the insignia was redesigned so that the eagle’s head faced the laurel branch on both the left and right shoulder insignia with the arrows to the rear on both insignia and at the same time the war eagle was phased out forever. But some traditions never die.

From that point on the so called "war eagle" was no longer authorized for wear on the uniform.

In 2005 recognizing the tradition of the Military Weingarten Gallery designed a set of modern Colonel Insignia with both Eagles facing the arrows, as the United States was in two conflicts, and thus making modern looking War Eagles. This insignia while unofficial is a tribute to U.S. soldiers with a continuation of the War Eagle tradition.

In June 2006, Collar size War Eagles were added at the request of several Navy Captains.