Wacław Jagas


Wacław Jagas was a Polish military officer of the Polish People's Army who served as the chairman of the Council for the Protection of Struggle and Martyrdom Sites.

Biography

Son of Alfred and Róża, in 1940, he was deported to Siberia with his family, where he worked in taiga felling. In 1943, he was mobilized to the 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division. In August 1943, he graduated from the Cadet School of this division in Sielce nad Oką and, as a commander of a fusilier platoon, took part in the Battle of Lenino. He fought on the right wing of the divisional forces that had been introduced into action. Then, near Smolensk, he prepared non-commissioned officers for the newly formed. After graduating from the higher rifle school in Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Oblast he participated in organizational work on the formation of the of the 1st Armoured Corps near Berdychiv, serving as commander of the 1st rifle company. During the offensive of the 2nd Polish Army on the Lusatian Neisse, he commanded a landing company on tanks - he took part in the crossing of the Neisse, participated in the battles of Bautzen and on the Spree up to Dresden. He completed his combat trail on the Elbe, and then participated in the liberation of the north-western part of Czechoslovakia.
After organizing a battalion to protect the border with Czechoslovakia, stationed near Głubczyce in 1946, as commander of the Border Protection Forces maneuver group, he took part in battles with the Ukrainian Insurgent Army in the Baligród area.
After graduating from the Świerczewski General Staff Academy in 1951, he held a number of responsible command, staff and military school positions in the Polish Army. He was successively: commander of the 21st Infantry Division in Lidzbark Warmiński, chief of staff of the in Olsztyn, head of the Organizational Board of the General Staff of the Polish Army, deputy commander of the Warsaw Military District for line matters, military, naval and air attaché at the Polish People's Republic Embassy in Moscow, deputy commandant of the Polish Army General Staff Academy for line matters and president of the mass paramilitary organization – the National Defense League. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in July 1960, and to the rank of division general in October 1974. In the years 1982–1986 he was deputy chief inspector of the Territorial Defense for training outside the army. At that time, he was the deputy of Lieutenant General. Since 1986, he was at the disposal of the Ministry of National Defense. On 30 March 1988, he was retired due to reaching retirement age.
He served in the Polish Armed Forces for 45 years, including 28 years in the rank of general.
A social activist. Long-time president of the Polish Association of Sports Shooting. In the years 1984–1985 – chairman of the Council for the Protection of Monuments of Combat and Martyrdom. From May 1985 to 1990, he was a member of the Presidium of the Main Board of the Union of Fighters and Democrats. In the years 1988–1990, he was a member of the Council for the Protection of Monuments of Combat and Martyrdom.
He died on 18 December 2018 and was buried at the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw.

Awards