The 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade has named one of its Abrams tanks “Sitek-21” to honor Sgt. Mateusz Sitek, who succumbed to injuries sustained in a brutal stabbing attack by migrants in May, passing away days later in a Warsaw hospital.
“Sgt. Mateusz Sitek was the first since 1939 to give his life in defense of the Polish border,” the brigade emphasized during the ceremony.
During the ceremony, the symbolic inscription was unveiled by Emilia Sitek, the mother of the deceased soldier, and Lt. Col. Marcin Wdowiak, his commander. Additionally, a plaque commemorating Sgt. Mateusz Sitek was also revealed on the premises.
The grieving mother, visibly emotional, delivered a heartfelt speech and was deeply moved during the moments of reflection in front of the plaque before revealing the name on the Abrams tank.
“From today, this place will hold special significance for us,” Emilia Sitek said. She clarified that her sentiment extended beyond the tank or the stone with the embedded plaque to, most importantly, the soldiers she called her son’s military family. She also emphasized that Sgt. Sitek, in dying, left all Poles a legacy, which is “the care for a free and independent homeland.”
The tradition of naming tanks, prevalent in the Polish military between the First and Second World Wars and also during the Second World War, continues to hold symbolic significance.
It is worth noting that the M1A1 Abrams tank is named after American General Creighton Abrams. In the United States, there is also a tradition of commemorating soldiers by naming vehicles after them, as has been done with the new light tank M10 Booker and the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle.
In addition to the tank naming ceremony, Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced during the launch of the “Safe Podlasie” operation at the Training Center near Białystok, that a new Border Defense Component (KOP) will be named after Mateusz Sitek, formed from existing battalions of the Light Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces.
This gesture is being backed from many in the military and is designed to enhance the spirit of unity and morale within the troops — an often overlooked yet critical element in strengthening military capability.
