20 January 1944: Those Tricky Allies: The Ghost Army of World War II

The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, popularly known as the “Ghost Army,” was one of the most innovative and unique units of the United States Army during the Second World War. Officially designated as a tactical deception unit, the Ghost Army was responsible for misleading and deceiving the enemy by creating illusionary military formations and positions, thereby contributing significantly to the Allied victory in Europe.

Activated on 20 January 1944, the Ghost Army comprised an authorized strength of 82 officers and 1023 men under the leadership of Colonel Harry L. Reeder, a veteran of the US Army. The unit was a top-secret project that was tasked with simulating two whole divisions, comprising approximately 30,000 men, using visual, sonic, and radio deception techniques. The Ghost Army achieved this daunting task by using fake tanks, sound trucks, fake radio transmissions, scripts, and pretense.

The Ghost Army was a product of the creative minds of Colonel Billy Harris and Major Ralph Ingersoll, both American military planners based in London. The unit consisted of a carefully selected group of artists, engineers, professional soldiers, and even draftees, including famed artists such as fashion designer Bill Blass, painter Ellsworth Kelly, and photographer Art Kane. The men of the unit were selected for their ability to think creatively and innovate, especially in the field of deception.

The Ghost Army’s main modus operandi was creating illusions using inflatable tanks, cannons, jeeps, trucks, and airplanes that the men would inflate with air compressors, and then camouflage them in a way that enemy aerial reconnaissance could spot them. In a matter of hours, the unit could create dummy airfields, troop bivouacs (complete with fake laundry hanging on clotheslines), motor pools, artillery batteries, and tank formations. The unit used imagination, creativity and illusion to trick the enemy, while saving thousands of lives along the way.

The Ghost Army’s first major engagement was shortly after D-Day when the bulk of the unit arrived in England. As the Allied armies moved east, so did the 23rd. It eventually based itself in Luxembourg, from where it engaged in deceptions of crossings of the Ruhr river, positions along the Maginot Line, Hürtgen Forest, and finally a major crossing of the Rhine to draw German troops away from the actual sites. The unit’s final campaign was in the Rhineland, where it successfully facilitated Allied advances through its innovative deception techniques.

Top photo: Inflatable tank lifted by four soldiers/members of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. In the Public Domain.

Bottom photo: Uniform shoulder patch of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops of the U.S. Army. In the Public Domain.

The impact of the Ghost Army on the outcome of the war was incalculable. The unit saved countless Allied lives by misguiding the Germans about the size and location of the Allied forces, giving the actual units time to maneuver into position. The Ghost Army was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism during World War II. 

The Ghost Army’s legacy is tremendous. It was the first mobile, multimedia, tactical deception unit in US Army history. The knowledge and experience gained by the Ghost Army laid the groundwork for the development of new military technologies and practices, including the use of radar and maneuver warfare. The Ghost Army also inspired similar units in other countries, including Britain and Canada.

On 1 February 2022, Joe Biden signed into law the Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act, which recognizes the unique and highly distinguished service of the Ghost Army during World War II. The bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the Ghost Army, in recognition of their role in conducting deception operations in Europe. The Ghost Army of WWII Congressional Gold Medal effort was supported by various organizations, including the American Legion, the National World War II Museum, the American Veterans Center, and the National D-Day Memorial Foundation.

Bibliography

Doornbos, Caitlin. "Congress votes to honor WWII ‘Ghost Army’ with Congressional Gold Medal." Stars and Stripes. Accessed December 28, 2023. https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2022-01-19/ghost-army-second-world-war-congressional-gold-medal-4349866.html.

Maksel, Rebecca. "The Ghost Army of World War II." Smithsonian Magazine. Last modified August 17, 2015. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/ghost-army-world-war-ii-180955617/.