Members of the so-called 'Ghost Army' tricked German soldiers by using inflated tanks, fictitious uniforms, false stories, and spectacular effects during World War II, helping to divert attention away from larger units and saving hundreds of thousands of American lives.
Three of the more than 1,000 survivors of the 'Ghost Army,' Bernard Bluestein, John Christman, and Seymour Nussenbaum, were present for the ceremony on Thursday. However, their contributions remained classified for decades, with many veterans taking the secret to their graves.
'Ghost Army' Members Receive Gold Medal
On Thursday, after many years of lobbying, the 'Ghost Army' members finally received public recognition and were awarded the highest honor bestowed by the legislative body, the Congressional Gold Medal.
Three former members arrived at the US Capitol to receive the medal, accompanied by representatives of both parties' legislative staffs, military and congressional leaders, and 'Ghost Army' members' families.
Rick Beyer, president of the nonprofit Ghost Army Legacy Project, said that it has been 80 years since the 'Ghost Army' landed in France and 19 years since he came to this story.
He noted that he has been working on the gold medal for nine years. "This is a day that has been coming for a long time. But it has been well worth the wait, right?" he added.
The audience erupted in cheers.
The 23d Headquarters Special Troops and its sister unit, the 3133 Signal Co., are notably recognized for their accomplishments in conducting over 20 "deception missions" near the front lines in Belgium, France, Germany, and Luxembourg between June 1944 and March 1945. Special, which practiced sonic deception in Italy in 1945.
According to the National WWII Museum, 'The Ghost Army' had around 1,000 soldiers, although it could simulate two units with about 30,000 service members. Just seven members reside across the country, from Florida to Michigan to New Jersey.
Three outstanding veterans were in attendance on Thursday: Nussenbaum, an avid stamp collector who enlisted in the Army from the Pratt Institute; Christman, a demolition specialist; and Bluestein, who joined the visual deception unit from the Cleveland Institute of Art and became an industrial designer.
After the war, Bluestein spent several years working in package design and contributed to creating the unit's fake patches.
Many attendees had personal or geographic ties to the members of Congress who had fought for their recognition, and many were descended from other 'Ghost Army' soldiers. US President Biden signed into law in 2022, and the lobbyists' and lawmakers' efforts culminated in this legislation following the bipartisan passage of the "Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act."
Recalling a passage from a declassified US Army report on the mission, House Speaker Mike Johnson began the event by saying, "Rarely if ever has there existed a group of such few men which had so great an influence on the outcome of a major military campaign."
Speakers afterward praised the veterans, which is believed to have saved the lives of 15,000 and 30,000 American soldiers, and celebrated the overdue recognition of the group.
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., one of the bill's two Senate sponsors, said that the veterans' tactics were meant to be invisible, but today, their constructions will no longer remain unseen in the shadows. He added that their weapons were unconventional, but their patriotism was unquestionable.
Beyer Encourages Youth To Trick Nazis, Save Lives
In 2015, Beyer, who co-wrote 'The Ghost Army of World War II' and produced a 2013 PBS documentary on the 'Ghost Army' told New Hampshire Public Radio that US Army planners in London drew inspiration from the way the Allies misled the Germans about the site of the D-Day landings.
The Army recruited young professionals and art students from communications firms, advertising agencies, and other creative fields. Many would have illustrious careers, such as Bill Blass, the fashion designer, and Ellsworth Kelly, the painter and sculptor.
Beyer told NHPR that the 'Ghost Army' included people from all walks of life, highly skilled radio operators, and engineers.
He added that they have this mix of technically highly trained people, regular coal miners, bartenders, policemen, etc., all working together to pull off these deceptions.
