Ghost Army Legacy Project - The Latest From Us

George Dramis Gold Medal Celebration

7/21/2022

George Dramis, 97, Will Receive a Letter from President Biden

RALEIGH, NC – WWII Veteran George Dramis, 97, will be honored at a special ceremony Saturday at the Waltonwood Lake Boone assisted living community to mark the recent award of the Congressional Gold Medal to the Ghost Army, the secret WWII units that used creative deception to fool and distract the enemy on the battlefields of Europe.

WHAT: Gold Medal Celebration Ceremony for Veteran George Dramis
WHO: Family and Friends of George Dramis
Congresswoman Deborah K. Ross (D-NC)
Trey Lewis, from the office of Sen. Thom Tillis, (R-NC)
Representatives from the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS), U.S. Army, Fort Bragg
Representatives from Psychological Operations, U.S. Army, Fort Bragg
Rick Beyer, president of The Ghost Army Legacy Project and director of the award-winning PBS documentary The Ghost Army
Roy Eichhorn, founding member of the Ghost Army Legacy Project, and Former Director of Research and Development, Army Command and General Staff College

Note: The public is welcome

WHEN: Saturday, July 23, 2022, 10 a.m. EST
WHERE: Waltonwood Lake Boone, 3550 Horton Street, Raleigh NC

Bernie Bluestein Gold Medal Celebraton

7/8/2022

Ghost Army Veteran Bernie Bluestin, 98, will be honored at a special ceremony Saturday, July 16 at Harper College. President Biden recently signed into law awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Ghost Army, the secret WWII units that used creative deception to fool and distract the enemy on the battlefields of Europe in which Christman served.

The ceremony will be at Wojcik Conference Center, Harper College, 1200 W Algonquin Rd, Palatine, IL 60067. (For directions directly to Wojcik, click here)

Bernie is one of only nine surviving members of the Ghost Army. After retiring from a long successful career in design Bernie began taking art classes at Harper College in 1989. He has been a beloved fixture in the Art Department ever since.

Bernie will be presented with a copy of the signed law, a letter from President Biden, letters from the
House and Senate sponsors, and honors from the Harper's Board of Trusteeds and Educational Foundation.

WHAT: Gold Medal Celebration Ceremony for Bernie Bluestein
WHEN: Saturday, July 16, 11 a.m. EST
WHERE: Wojcik Conference Center, Harper College, 1200 W Algonquin Rd, Palatine, IL 60067.
WHO: The public is invited.

llinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center to Unveil Ghost Army Exhibit from The National WWII Museum

5/4/2022

Skokie, IL – On June 16, 2022, the traveling exhibition Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II will begin its national tour at Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. Produced by The National WWII Museum in New Orleans and exclusively sponsored by E. L. Wiegand Foundation, the exhibit tells the story of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops—the first mobile, multimedia, tactical deception unit in US Army history. The unit waged war with inflatable tanks and vehicles, fake radio traffic, sound effects and even phony generals, using imagination and illusion to trick the enemy while saving thousands of lives.

Recently awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the unique and top-secret “Ghost Army” unit—comprised of 82 officers and 1,023 men—was the brainchild of Colonel Billy Harris and Major Ralph Ingersoll. Activated on January 20, 1944, under the command of Army veteran Colonel Harry L. Reeder, the group was capable of simulating two whole divisions (approximately 30,000 troops) by using visual, sonic and radio deception to fool German forces during the final year of World War II. Armed with nothing heavier than .50-caliber machine guns, the 23rd took part in 22 large-scale deceptions in Europe from Normandy to the Rhine River, the bulk of the unit arriving in England in May 1944, shortly before D-Day.

“I’m so excited that this exhibit is coming to the Illinois Holocaust Museum,” says Rick Beyer, Ghost Army Legacy Project President and Exhibit Consultant. “The Ghost Army soldiers are really the unsung heroes of WWII, who in total secrecy did so much to help bring down Nazi tyranny. They used creativity, performance, illusion and pure bravura to confound Hitler’s legions and help bring about Allied victory. What a great thing to remember and celebrate!”

“Ghost Army explores the bravery, heroics, and creativity of this first-of-its kind military unit,” said Kelley Szany, Vice President of Education and Exhibitions at Illinois Holocaust Museum. “Although their efforts were classified for over 50 years, the Ghost Army saved thousands of lives, and played an important part in liberating Europe from Nazi tyranny. The Museum is proud to highlight their vital contributions that went unrecognized following the war.”

Ghost Army features inflatable military pieces, historical narrative text panels detailing unit operations, profiles of unit officers, archival photography and sketches and uniforms from unit officers. The exhibit presents exclusive, original content from The National WWII Museum archives along with a historical artifact collection curated and donated to them by Beyer. The exhibit debuted at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans in March 2020 before embarking on a national tour to share the story of the Ghost Army with communities across the country.

Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II will be on display through January 2, 2023. Throughout the exhibition’s run, the Museum will host a series of events, including book and author programs, Touch a Tank Day, Sip & Swing, and more.

National Exhibition Sponsor: E.L Wiegand Foundation

The presentation at Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is made possible by:
Supporters:

Larry and Carol Levy

Contributors:
David Hiller
Judith and William Rader & Family

Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II was produced by The National World War II Museum.

PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNS BILL TO HONOR GHOST ARMY

2/1/2022

Congressional Gold Medal Awarded to Secretive WWII Units

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Biden today signed the bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the secretive WWII deception units known as The Ghost Army.

“What an honor,” said 98-year-old Ghost Army veteran Bernie Bluestein, from his home in suburban Chicago. “I never in my lifetime expected anything like this, it completely blasts me. I’m just sorry that there are not more of my fellow soldiers still alive that can be enjoying this as much as I do.”

The medal goes to the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133rd Signal Company Special.

The existence of the Ghost Army was top secret for more than 50 years until it was declassified in 1996. That’s when the public first learned of the creative, daring techniques the Ghost Army employed to fool and distract the enemy about the strength and location of American troops, including the use of inflatable tanks, sound effects, radio trickery and impersonation.

The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops carried out more than 20 deception missions, often dangerously close to the front, in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. This “traveling road show of deception,” of only 1,100 troops appearing to be more than 20,000, are credited with saving an estimated 30,000 American lives. U.S. Army analyst Mark Kronman stated, “Rarely, if ever, has there been a group of such a few men which had so great an influence on the outcome of a major military campaign.” A sister unit the 3133rd Signal Company Special, carried out two deceptions in Italy in 1945.

The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress's utmost expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. Dating back to the American Revolution, The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest distinction Congress can bestow.

There are just nine surviving Ghost Army veterans scattered throughout the U.S., including:

Bill Anderson, 97, Kent, Ohio

Bernie Bluestein, 98, Schaumberg, Illinois

John Christman, 97, Leesburg, New Jersey

George Dramis, 97, Raleigh, North Carolina

Manny Frockt, 97, West Palm Beach, Florida

Nick Leo, 99, Brentwood, New York

Mark Mallardi, 98, Edgewater, Florida

Bill Nall, 97, Dunellon, Florida

Seymour Nussenbaum, 98, Monroe Township, New Jersey

“What made the Ghost Army special was not just their extraordinary courage, but their creativity,” said Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH), the House sponsor of the bill, speaking on the floor of the House Wednesday. “Their story reminds us that listening to unconventional ideas, like using visual and sound deception, can help us solve existential challenges like defeating tyranny.”

Other primary bill sponsors include Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT), and Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in the Senate.

“I am thrilled these deserving, brave and intrepid warriors of deception have at last been awarded this high honor,” said Ghost Army Legacy Project Rick Beyer president, who has worked for seven years to get this bill passed. “Armed with their wits and guile these men saved lives and helped win the war. Their story is an inspiration to all of us! So many have contributed to this moment — volunteers, members of the House and Senate from both parties, Ghost Army veterans and their families — with energy and devotion to seeing the valiant efforts of the Ghost Army properly honored.”

For photos and video of The Ghost Army, go here.

For more information see www.ghostarmylegacyproject.org

Contact:
Rick Beyer, President
Ghost Army Legacy Project
781-801-3261
rick@ghostarmy.org

CONGRESS PASSES BILL TO HONOR GHOST ARMY

1/19/2022

Bill to Award Congressional Gold Medal to Secretive Army Units Awaits President’s Signature

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The seven-year campaign to recognize the contributions of the Ghost Army reached its penultimate conclusion Wednesday with final passage of a bill (S.1404) to award the secretive WWII army units with a Congressional Gold Medal.

The bipartisan bill now goes to President Biden’s desk for his signature, which is expected within two weeks.

“What made the Ghost Army special was not just their extraordinary courage, but their creativity,” said Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH), the House sponsor of the bill, speaking on the floor of the House Wednesday. “Their story reminds us that listening to unconventional ideas, like using visual and sound deception, can help us solve existential challenges like defeating tyranny.”

Other primary bill sponsors include Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT), and Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in the Senate.

“

What an honor,” said 98-year-old Ghost Army veteran Bernie Bluestein, from his home in suburban Chicago. “I never in my lifetime expected anything like this, it completely blasts me. I’m just sorry that there are not more of my fellow soldiers still alive that can be enjoying this as much as I do.” There are nine surviving Ghost Army veterans scattered throughout the U.S.: Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Utah.

Wednesday’s vote in the House of Representatives reconciles a Senate version of the bill passed earlier by the House. It caps an ambitious public awareness campaign by the Ghost Army Legacy Project, which worked for years to shed light on the Ghost Army’s critical role in numerous WWII battles.

“This has been a long but ultimately rewarding effort to bring attention and much overdue recognition to the Ghost Army,” said Rick Beyer, president of The Ghost Army Legacy Project. “ “So many have contributed to this moment — volunteers, members of the House and Senate from both parties, Ghost Army veterans and their families — with energy and devotion to seeing the valiant efforts of the Ghost Army properly honored.”

The existence of the Ghost Army was top secret for more than 50 years until it was declassified in 1996. That’s when the public first learned of the creative, daring techniques the Ghost Army employed to fool and distract the enemy about the strength and location of American troops, including the use of inflatable tanks, sound effects, radio trickery and impersonation.

The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops staged more than 20 deception operations, often dangerously close to the front, in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. This “traveling road show of deception,” of only 1,100 troops appearing to be more than 20,000, are credited with saving an estimated 30,000 American lives. U.S. Army analyst Mark Kronman stated, “Rarely, if ever, has there been a group of such a few men which had so great an influence on the outcome of a major military campaign.”A sister unit the 3133rd Signal Company Special, carried out two deceptions in Italy in 1945.

The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress's utmost expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. Dating back to the American Revolution, The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest distinction Congress can bestow.

“Today’s vote was a big moment for us,” said Beyer. “But the real celebration will come when President Biden signs the bill and later when the Gold Medal is actually placed in the hands of the Ghost Army veterans.”

For more information see www.ghostarmylegacyproject.org

Contact:
Rick Beyer, President
Ghost Army Legacy Project
781-801-3261
rick@ghostarmy.org

Senate Passes Ghost Army Congressonal Gold Medal Act

12/15/2021

Washington DC - The United States Senate today passed legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 23rd Special Headquarters Troops and the 3133rd Signal Service Company, the WWII deception units popularly known as The “Ghost Army.” The efforts and contributions of these soldiers were kept classified for more than 50 years. Passage came via unanimous consent.

The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress's utmost expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions.

“These soldiers embodied the courage, skill, and bravery that our nation treasures in American heroes,” said Senator Edward Markey, (D-MA), who sponsored the bill in the Senate.

A similar bill passed in the House in May. Because of language changes, the Senate bill must go back to the House for final passage, which is expected to take place early in 2022 Then it will go to the president’s desk.

The soldiers who served in these units used inflatable tanks, sound effects and illusion to fool the Germans on the battlefields of Europe.

BIPARTISAN BILL TO HONOR WWII GHOST ARMY RECEIVES NECESSARY 67TH CO-SPONSOR IN THE SENATE

11/17/2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The campaign to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Ghost Army is in the homestretch. This week, bill S 1404 received its 67th co-sponsor, the number required to bring it up for a vote. Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto was the 67th Co-sponsor.

Introduced by Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), the bill will now move to passage in the full Senate.

The existence of the Ghost Army was top secret for more than 50 years until it was declassified in 1996. That’s when the public first learned of the creative, daring techniques the Ghost Army employed to fool and distract the enemy about the strength and location of American troops, including the use of inflatable tanks, sound effects, radio trickery and impersonation.

The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops staged more than 20 deception operations, often dangerously close to the front lines, in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. They have been called “a traveling road show of deception,” a unit of only 1,100 troops looking and sounding like more than 20,000. They are credited with saving an estimated 30,000 American lives.

The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress's utmost expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. Dating back to the American Revolution, The Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the highest civilian awards in the United States.

BIPARTISAN BILL TO HONOR GHOST ARMY PASSES HALFWAY MARK FOR SENATE CO-SPONSORS

7/19/2021

Support to Award Congressional Gold Medal to Secretive Army Units Growing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The campaign to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the “Ghost Army” – the highly secretive WWII Army units that created ingenious deceptions on the battlefields of Europe – gained 13 new co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate this week for a total of 40. It has passed the halfway mark to the 67 co-sponsors required to bring the bill, S 1404, up for a vote.

The bipartisan bill, introduced by Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), has already passed resoundingly in the House. Once the Senate acts, the measure will head to the president’s desk for his signature.

“The contributions made by the Ghost Army must be recognized with the utmost gratitude, but unfortunately, to this day, their courage, skill and bravery has remained in the shadows,” said Senator Markey. “I applaud the 40 United States senators who have recognized these patriots for their dedication to our country during World War II. I hope my colleagues in the Senate will continue to support this effort and allow for these patriots to be bestowed with the recognition they deserve.”

The existence of the Ghost Army was top secret for more than 50 years until it was declassified in 1996. That’s when the public first learned of the creative, daring techniques the Ghost Army employed to fool and distract the enemy about the strength and location of American troops, including the use of inflatable tanks, sound effects, radio trickery and impersonation.

The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops staged more than 20 deception operations, often dangerously close to the front lines, in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. They have been called “a traveling road show of deception,” a unit of only 1,100 troops looking and sounding like more than 20,000. They are credited with saving an estimated 30,000 American lives. One U.S. Army analyst stated, “Rarely, if ever, has there been a group of such a few men which had so great an influence on the outcome of a major military campaign.” A sister unit the 3133rd Signal Company Special, carried out two deceptions in Italy.

The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress's utmost expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. Dating back to the American Revolution, The Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the highest civilian awards in the United States.

A call to pass the bill came recently from retired Army Brig. Gen. Edward G. Burley who wrote in The Hill, “It’s time to call the Ghost Army what they are: heroes. They, as well as the descendants of their fellow soldiers, deserve to see their bold, brave lifesaving efforts acknowledged and honored by the country they served.”

Surviving Ghost Army veterans are scattered throughout the U.S.: Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Utah. For more information see www.ghostarmylegacyproject.org

The current cosponsors of the Senate bill are:

Republicans

Sen. Rob Portman, R-OH*
Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND*
Sen. Susan Collins, R-ME*
Sen. John Kennedy, R-LA*
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-AR*
Sen. Mike Lee, R-UT*
Sen. Rick Scott, R-FL
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-LA
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-MO
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-UT
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-MS
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-TN
Sen. Mike Crapo, R-ID
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-IA
Sen. James Risch

Democrats

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-CT*
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA*
Sen. Robert Casey, Jr., D-PA*
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-MN*
Sen. Robert Menendez, D-NJ*
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD*
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-CA*
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY*
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH
Sen. Richard Durbin, D-IL
Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-NV
Sen. Margaret Wood Hassan, D-NH
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-RI
Sen. Corey Booker, D-NJ
Sen. Alex Padilla, D-CA
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-HI
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY
Sen. Ben Cardin, D-MD
Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-NM
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-AZ
Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA
Sen. Michael Bennett, D-CO
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-WI
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-IL

Independent
Sen. Angus King, I-ME*

*Original co-sponsor

Contact:
Rick Beyer, President
Ghost Army Legacy Project
781-801-3261
rick@ghostarmy.org

New Letter Collection Added to Ghost Army Legacy Website

6/16/2021

An exciting collection of letters written by Ghost Army soldier Theodore “Ted” Katz is now available on the Ghost Army Legacy Project website. The collection consists of 94 letters to Katz’s fiance Helen, written from the beginning of his training in 1943 to the end of his service in 1945. The letters are accompanied by photos of and drawings by Katz, sourced from the Katz collection. His son, Richard Katz generously donated the letters and images, which are now part of the Ghost Army collection at the National WWII Musem.

GALP researcher/web maven Donna Albin transcribed the letters, selected the ones to feature out of nearly 400 in the collection, and created the web page.

Ted Katz was an artist who joined the Ghost Army in 1943. After his service, he worked as an art director in multiple advertising agencies in Syracuse, New York. He also played piano in jazz and swing groups. He passed away April 23, 1991.

Katz’s playful exchanges with his fiance, haunting descriptions of war-torn Europe, and remarkable sketches of his surroundings and fellow GIs help bring to life the daily experiences of one soldier in the Ghost Army. His writing offers an empathetic, lively, and detailed account of the realities of war. As his troop moved through the devastated countryside of France in the summer of 1944, he wrote, “Any structure without scars is unusual…And as long as there is a window left, it is always occupied by the everpresent pot of geraniums.”

“We are excited to be able to offer another personal perspective on the Ghost Army story,” said Rick Beyer, president of the Ghost Army Legacy Project. “Along with the letters of Harold Dahl, the diary of Bob Tompkins, and the scrapbooks of Seymour Nussenbaum, Katz’s letters help us really be able to see the life these soldiers lived. They bring us right into the mud, the mess hall, his tent, and on one occasion, a service in a bombed-out synagogue. All with humor and charm abounding.”

Read the Letters

BILL TO HONOR GHOST ARMY INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE

5/28/2021

May 28, 2021
For Immediate Release

Effort to Award Congressional Gold Medal to Secretive Army Units Follows House Passage

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the House’s overwhelming passage of H.R. 707 last month to award the WWII soldiers of The Ghost Army a Congressional Gold Medal, a companion bill (S. 1404) has been introduced in the Senate. The bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), includes both the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133 Signal Company Special. It brings the six-year effort to honor these top-secret deception units of the U.S. Army to its final stop before moving on to the President’s desk. Nineteen senators have already co-sponsored the bipartisan bill.

“The brave and spirited ‘Ghost Army’ veterans made critical contributions to American victories and successes during World War II,” said Senator Markey. “To this day, the secrecy of their mission has meant a delay in formal recognition of their immense contributions. Their courage in secret missions saved the lives of U.S. soldiers, ensuring more were able to return home safely to their families at war’s end. This bill seeks to honor them for their courage, skill, and bravery, which successfully guided America towards the Allied victory in World War II.”

The Ghost Army used inflatable tanks, sound effects, radio trickery and impersonation to fool and divert the enemy away from advancing troops. Although they have been credited with saving an estimated 30,000 lives, the work of The Ghost Army was classified as top secret until 1996.

The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. Dating back to the American Revolution, The Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the highest civilian awards in the United States.

“The passing of the House’s bill and the introduction of the bill in the Senate around Memorial Day is very special because four of the Ghost Army’s soldiers died while serving in the war,” noted Rick Beyer, president of the citizen non-profit group Ghost Army Legacy Project. “These soldiers are all heroes; they drew fire to themselves in order to divert the enemy’s attention from American combat units. Only 11 of them are alive today. Now, 77 years later it’s time to recognize and honor them for their unique, distinguished service while some are still here.”

Graveside ceremonies will take place this Memorial Day at four cemeteries in three countries to commemorate the four Ghost Army soldiers who died while heroically serving in these legendary units.

Surviving Ghost Army veterans are scattered throughout the U.S. in Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Utah. For more information see www.ghostarmylegacyproject.org

Contact:
Rick Beyer
President
Ghost Army Legacy Project
781-801-3261
rick@ghostarmy.org