Ghost Army Legacy Project
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News

The latest from the Ghost Army Legacy Project

U.S. EMBASSY IN FRANCE TO HELP COMMEMORATE WWII “GHOST ARMY

6/15/2020

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More than 75 years after serving in Brittany, a once-secret U.S. Army unit will be recognized on French soil for the first time, with the support of the Embassy of the United States of America in France. The Embassy, in collaboration with the U.S. Consulate for Western France, has awarded a grant to the Ghost Army Legacy Project to commemorate the Ghost Army’s actions in the Battle of Brest in August 1944.  

“I’m deeply grateful that the Embassy is helping celebrate these creative soldiers whose deception missions saved lives and help defeat Hitler’s legions,” said Rick Beyer, president of the Ghost Army Legacy Project. The purpose of the grant, according to the U.S. Department of State, is “to strengthen U.S.-France relationship by highlighting shared WWII history in Brittany and common values to new generations.” 

The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, nicknamed The Ghost Army, was a top-secret U.S. Army unit that used inflatable tanks, sound effects, radio subterfuge and illusion to deceive the Germans on the battlefields of Europe. Operation BREST was the unit’s first full-scale mission.   
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The commemoration includes design and fabrication of a dual-language historical marker in Plabennec, France (near Brest), plus a dedication ceremony, a documentary film screening hosted by producer Rick Beyer, a local exhibition at Musée Memoires 39-45, and publicity to engage French and global audiences.  The U.S. Consulate for Western France, based in Rennes, will participate in these events. 

Project partners include the commune of Plabennec and the Musée Memoires 39-45.  Additional support comes from Massachusetts Society Children of the American Revolution and the Ghost Army Legacy Project. Paul Singer, son of Ghost Army veteran Arthur Singer, is designing the marker.    

 The Ghost Army Legacy Project installed the first-ever Ghost Army historical marker in Bettembourg, Luxembourg in 2018, with the support of the United States Embassy, Luxembourg.  
 
 
 

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Ghost Army Exhibit Opens at WWII Museum

3/11/2020

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More than six hundred people attended the opening of a new Ghost Army exhibit at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.The exhibit, entitled “Ghost Army: Combat Con Artists of WWII” opened March 5. 
 
Three Ghost Army veterans, Bernie Bluestein, Seymour Nussenbaum, and Stanley Nance, were in attendance, along with the families of twenty other Ghost Army veterans. There were also soldiers from the U.S. Army's 4th Psychological OperationS Group - Airborne.  
 
The opening night photos below were  taken by Frank Aymami. The videos were shot by Dillard Morrison, the director of photography for the Ghost Army documentary 

Opening Night Photos and Videos 


You can also watch the Livestream of the event here.  

Ghost Army Legacy Project Luncheon Photos 

On Friday, March 6, the Ghost Army Legacy Project hosted a luncheon at the National WWII Museum for Ghost Army veterans, family members and friends.  Members of the GALP Board discussed the accomplishments and ongoing intiatives of the oganization. SFC Tim Miller of the US. Army's 4th PSYOPS group talked (guardedly) about some of what the US Army is doing today to achieve information superiority on and off the battlefield.  Photos by Jeff Strout.
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National WWII Museum Launches Ghost Army Exhibit

1/10/2020

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The National World War II Museum in New Orleans will unveil a new exhibit on the Ghost Army March 5, 2020. It’s entitled Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II, and will occupy the first floor of the museum's brand new Hall of Democracy. The Ghost Army Legacy Project is working with the museum to develop the exhibit.  

The museum has commissioned several new inflatables and is developing interactive elements to help visitors simulate taking part in sonic and radio deception. Oral histories will appear on TV screens. There are plans to recreate the façade of a phony HQ from one of the operations. It will also feature uniforms and personal items donated by veterans and their families.


The exhibit opening on March 5 at 5 PM, featuring remarks by curator James Linn and Ghost Army author/filmmaker RIck Beyer, is open to the public. It is also expected that a number of Ghost Army veterans will attend.  You can reserve a space here. The opening night event will also be streamed on Livestream.

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Ghost Army Projects take honors at National History Day Finals

6/20/2019

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Two student projects about The Ghost Army earned high honors at the national finals of the 2019 National History Day Contest. The theme of this year's contest was "Triumph and Tragecdy."
Ashley Strader, Sam Berry, Grace McCleave from Moriarty High School in Tijeras, New Mexico earned third place in the Senor Group Documentary category for their 10 minute film Drafting an Arm of Ghosts. ​​They focused on one operation were a succesful deception had unanticipated results.
​Madeline Christanson of Lakeside Junior High School in Orem Utah, received a special World War II History prize, sponsored by the National World War II Museum. Madeline is the great-grand-daughter of Ghost Army veteran Stanley Nance. On her way home from the finals, Madeline and her family visited Ghost Army veterans along the route to share the news and thank them for their service.  
​More than half-million students entered the competition, but only 3,000 of them advanced through the local, state and affiliate rounds to earn their place in the National Contest.
Competitors represented 57 affiliate members, including every state, Washington, D.C., American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and international schools in South Korea, South Asia, and China. “I do not envy our judges at this level,” said National History Day Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn. “The students who made it here are tenacious. They spent many hours over several months researching, fine-tuning, and enhancing their entries. It takes a distinctive, dynamic project to win at nationals.
Congratulations to the students who created the prize-winning Ghost Army projects, and to all the students who took part in the competition.

The Ghost Army Legacy Project is happy to offer assistance to students creating Ghost Army projects. 
 
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StoryCorps interview with Veteran Gil Seltzer on NPR Morning Edition

5/25/2019

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Gil Seltzer is 104 years old, but he still has vivid memories of his time in the Ghost Army 75 years ago. He sat down for a StoryCorps interview with his granddaughter, Sarah Seltzer, and an edited version of it appeard on NPR Weeknd Edition this morning. 
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Renewed Push on Ghost ARmy Gold

5/15/2019

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A bipartisan group of representative and Senators are renewing an effort to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Ghost Army of World War II. 
In the House of Representative, Democrat Annie Kuster of NH and Republican Peter King of New York have introduced HR 2350, a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133 Signal Service Company.  
“It’s an honor to sponsor this bipartisan legislation to honor the unsung heroes of the Ghost Army whose innovative tactics sowed confusion among enemy forces during World War 2,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “The members of the Ghost Army, including Granite Stater Mickey McKane, saved countless Allied lives through their visual and acoustic deception. It’s long past time that these brave Americans were recognized for their contributions to the war effort during WWII, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.”
“I commend Rep. Kuster for introducing this legislation which honors the critical role of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops (“Ghost Army”) during World War II. Their heroics were unknown for more than 40 years and it is finally time that the American people not only learn about but recognize their ingenuity and selflessness which saved countless American and Allied lives. They deserve their due,” said Congressman King.
In the Senate, the gold medal effort ​is being led by Sens. Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, who have introduced S 1421. Nine other Senators have co-sponsored the bill. 
“These brave soldiers brought unique, creative skills to the most dangerous and critical missions,” said Senator Markey. “They epitomized the American can-do, innovative spirit. Against the odds, they convinced the enemy forces that they were the ones at a tactical disadvantage. It’s time these brave patriots are recognized for their critical contributions to the Allied victory in World War II.”

“Our nation will always be grateful to the members of the ‘Ghost Army’ soldiers who served with distinction during World War II,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would recognize these soldiers with Congress’ highest civilian honor for their courage and resourcefulness, which were pivotal in the European theater and likely saved many American lives.”
The bi
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Ben Affleck to Direct and Star in Ghost Army Movie

5/2/2019

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Ben Affleck, director and star of Argo is working on the Hollywood version of The Ghost Army, based on the PBS documentary by Rick Beyer, and the book The Ghost Army of WWII by Beyer and Sayles.  Read all the details in Variety. 

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New Content Added to Ghost Army Legacy Project Website

3/15/2019

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The Ghost Army Legacy Project today published 52 wartime letters from Sergeant Harold J. Dahl on its website. These letters document his experiences from first joining the 603rd camouflage Engineers in 1942 until returning home in 1945. They cover such topics as  life in the Army, being called on to carry out a secret deception mission, heading overseases, confronting the horrors of war, and the celebration at war's end. A special postscript explores the story of a wartime romance and a search through historical archives for an answer to a 75-year old mystery.
 
“We are thrilled to offer more primary source materials to people researching the Ghost Army,” says Rick Beyer, President of the Ghost Army Legacy Project, “especially students doing National History Day projects.”
 
Harold Dahl enlisted in 1942 and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the 603rd Camouflage Engineers. The Dahl collection is one of the largest and most varied in the Ghost Army Legacy Project Archive.  There are five boxes containing 431 items. Donated by Dahl’s family.  The collection includes several hundred original wartime photos, and 225 letters that Dahl sent home over the course of the war. There are also a variety of other items including newspaper clippings, manuals, maps, a flattened C-Ration can, and more.
 
 
 

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At 95, The Heroes Of The Ghost Army Relive The Battles Of WWII

3/1/2019

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Great article in the venerable Jewish magazine "The Forward" about Ghost Army pals Seymour Nussenbaum and Bernie Bluestein.
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"Stamp" of approval for Ghost Army artist Ellsworth Kelly

2/22/2019

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The US Post Office has announced that it is bringing out ten new stamps honoring artist and former Ghost Army soldier Ellsworth Kelly later this year. The stamps feature ten Kelly paintings ranging from 1951 to 1971. "Kelly pioneered a distinctive style of abstraction based on real elements reduced to their essential forms" says the Post Office in its announcement. 

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Of course the famous minimalist  isn't the first Ghost Army artist to be featured on USPS stamps. Arthur Singer (with son Alan) did the artwork for the famous Birds and Flowers of the 50 States stamps introduced in 1982, and George Vander Sluis designed an iconic airmail stamp brought out in 1971. Kelly, however, is the first Ghost Army artist to be honored by name in a series of postal stamps - quite a tribute! US Postal Service #WWII
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This first day cover of Vnder Sluis's air mail stamp, signed by the artist, is part of the Ghost Army Legacy Project collection. 
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Birds and Flowers of the 50 States - 1982 
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