A Colonel's Rank Insignia

[DREDger]

Years ago a friend in ROTC told me that during times of peace, the eagle's head on the rank insignia for a colonel  faces towards the talons that hold the olive branchs.  However in times of war, new insignas are made that change the direction the head faces, towards the tallons holding the spears/arrows.

I took this for truth until I was in line with a uniformed colonel for a sandwich and struck up a conversation.  He said he never heard of that.

Any military historians out there that know or have heard about this?

[Tac]

it'd be a silly waste of resources imo.

[avionix]

Something I found that was interesting.  Not sure how accurate.

1. The method of identifying Colonels was initially established by General 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 1 1/2 inches between the tips of the wings. The height of the insignia remained unchanged at 3/4 inch.

4. 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".

5. 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.

6. The so called "war eagle" is no longer authorized for wear on the uniform.

[ImADot]

The "eagle's head always facing forward" makes sense to me - and is what would explain it pointing to the laurel branch on one and the arrows on the other.  

Just like an American flag patch or sticker should always have the starfield pointing forward "into the wind" (just like on a flagpole in the wind).  It's always bugged me to see a sticker on the right side of a car with the stars on the left side, downwind towards the back of the car.  Why they don't make/sell them both ways - but then again most people don't know or don't care.

I've never been in the military, nor claim to be any kind of historian, but it all sounds logical to me.

Edit:
Here's an image I found while searching about flag etiquette:

[curry1]

That's why on fatigues the flag is backassward becuase as you move forward it is being blown by the wind.

[Masherbrum]

The "eagle's head always facing forward" makes sense to me - and is what would explain it pointing to the laurel branch on one and the arrows on the other.  

Just like an American flag patch or sticker should always have the starfield pointing forward "into the wind" (just like on a flagpole in the wind).  It's always bugged me to see a sticker on the right side of a car with the stars on the left side, downwind towards the back of the car.  Why they don't make/sell them both ways - but then again most people don't know or don't care.

I've never been in the military, nor claim to be any kind of historian, but it all sounds logical to me.

Edit:
Here's an image I found while searching about flag etiquette:
(Image removed from quote.)

Which is why I don't wear clothes with a flag, nor put stickers on a car.

[Halo]

From Air Force service years ago and confirmed with Google search, a U.S. insignia eagle always faces forward. Probably the number one rank error in all branches of the armed forces is occasionally someone's eagles facing backward. 

[Saxman]

That's why on fatigues the flag is backassward becuase as you move forward it is being blown by the wind.

That may be a more recent development, however.