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.”  

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
 
 
 
 

Effort to Award Congressional Gold Medal to Secretive Army Units Moves Forward
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The six-year effort to honor the “Ghost Army” – the secret WWII military units that specialized in creative deceptions on the battlefields of Europe – moved forward Tuesday with the House voting overwhelmingly to pass H.R. 707, a bill to award the soldiers with the Congressional Gold Medal.
 
The bipartisan bill, first submitted in 2015, was introduced by Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH), with Rep. Chris Stewart, (R-UT) as the Republican co-lead. Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate. 
 
“The incredible story and contributions of the Ghost Army went unknown and unrecognized for far too long,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “During World War II, these brave men were on the frontlines conducting creative, innovative, and risky maneuvers to deceive the Nazis and draw forces away from allied troops. The Ghost Army saved thousands of Allied lives during humanity’s darkest hour, but because their missions were kept secret for decades, they were never recognized for their extraordinary accomplishments. I’m proud that my Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act has passed the House, and I hope that the Senate will pass this bipartisan legislation to award these brave Americans the Congressional Gold Medal and ensure they receive the long-overdue recognition they deserve.”
 
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.
 
“For years, these soldiers and their families haven’t received the recognition they deserve,” said Rep. Stewart. “Three months ago, I was honored to introduce bipartisan legislation that seeks to right that wrong. Today, I couldn’t be more proud to see that legislation pass the House. To

my Democrat and Republican colleagues in the Senate: Let’s pass this bill and give the Ghost Army heroes the highest honor we can.”
 
Rick Beyer, president of the citizen non-profit group “Ghost Army Legacy Project,” sees Tuesday’s vote as a major milestone in the long effort to win recognition for the little-known military operation. “Now we turn to the Senate, he said, where the Gold Medal legislation, S. 1404, already has 16 co-sponsors, but needs 51 more to be considered. “There are only 11 surviving veterans of The Ghost Army,” Beyer said, “and we want to get this passed and signed into law while they are still with us. Their job was not to wage war but to deceive the enemy, but their contribution to the allied victory was just as important as the soldiers who fired their guns.”
 
Surviving Ghost Army veterans are scattered throughout the U.S., in Florida, Ohio, Utah, Illinois and New York. For more information see www.ghostarmylegacyproject.org
 
Contact:
Rick Beyer
President
Ghost Army Legacy Project
781-801-3261
rick@ghostarmy.org
 

​​BRANSON, MO – The Ghost Army, the highly secretive WWII Army units that specialized in creative deceptions on the battlefields of Europe, will get a long-overdue tribute as part of the official “Ghost Army Recognition Day” Sunday, June 6 in Branson.
 
Last year, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed into law legislation proposed by Rep. Dean Dohrman designating June 6 as “Ghost Army Recognition Day” to honor the units, which included 20 soldiers from Missouri. 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.
 
Now, the Ghost Army will be honored with a special screening of a documentary about their secret wartime mission at the Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, June 6. There will be a short program with several guest speakers in advance of the screening, followed by a reception. The Ghost Army exhibit, which will be on display through June 6, features a replica of one of the inflatable tanks used on the battlefield. The IMAX Entertainment Complex is a partner with the Ghost Army Legacy Project for the event, and the exhibit and screening are free and open to the public. Registration is required for the screening.
 
At the same time, the Missouri State Museum in Jefferson City will exhibit an interpretive display of The Ghost Army in the museum’s Veterans Gallery. It will include an honor roll spotlighting Missourians who served with the unit. The museum also plans social media posts leading up to the remembrance day in June highlighting the unit's history and connections with Missouri. The museum’s exhibit will run until the end of June.
 
“It’s time we honored these brave, unsung heroes of World War Two,” said Ghost Army Legacy Project board member Carolyn Spence Cagle of Lampe, MO, whose father served in the unit. “The Ghost Army Recognition Day will give everyone a chance to see the important contribution these soldiers made to liberating Europe and securing our freedoms. And they will learn how many members of the Ghost Army went on to further creative endeavors in the arts and entertainment fields after serving their country.”
 
The Ghost Army Recognition Day events coincide with a big push to pass legislation in Congress to award the Congressional Gold Medal to The Ghost Army. “There are only 11 surviving veterans, and we want to get this done while they are still with us,” said Rick Beyer, president of the Ghost Army Legacy Project. The legislation recently achieved 290 co-sponsors in the House, including six of Missouri’s eight-member Congressional delegation, putting it on the path to a floor vote. A companion Senate bill, S 1404, has just been introduced. 
 
To register for the screening in Branson, go to https://ghostarmybranson.eventbrite.com.

Contact: Carolyn Spence Cagle, Lampe MO, Ghost Army Legacy Project
Phone: 682-552-2130 Email:  pokeberryprof@gmail.com
 
Tom Forster, Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex, tom@bransonimax.com
Phone: 417-335-3533  x135

Effort to Award Congressional Gold Medal to Secretive Army Units Moves Forward
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The campaign to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the “Ghost Army” – the highly secretive WWII Army units that specialized in creative deceptions on the battlefields of Europe – achieved a critical milestone this week when legislation to honor the soldiers achieved its 290th House sponsor.
 
That moves HR 707 closer to House passage since the rules allow floor consideration of legislation with more than 290 cosponsors (two-thirds of the members). The bipartisan bill, originally submitted six years ago, was introduced by Rep Annie Kuster (D-NH), with Rep Chris Stewart, (R-UT) as the Republican co-lead. Companion legislation will follow soon in the Senate.
 
“This year may finally be the year that these little-known but highly significant U.S. Army units get the honor and recognition they deserve by awarding them the Congressional Gold Medal,” said Rick Beyer, president of the Ghost Army Legacy Project. “And with only about a dozen surviving Ghost Army veterans still living, the time is now to get this bill through Congress.”
 
The existence of the Ghost Army was top secret for more than 40 years until it was declassified in 1996. That’s when the public first learned of the creative and 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 operating dangerously close to the front lines, in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, with a sister unit, the 3133rd Signal Company Special, operating in Italy. They have been called “a traveling road show of deception,” with a unit of only 1,000 troops looking and sounding like more than 20,000. They are credited with saving an estimated 30,000 lives with one U.S. Army analyst saying, “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.”​
 
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.
 

“Today, we would call what the Ghost Army did ‘psy-ops,’ or an early form of ‘deep fakes’,” Beyer said. “Their deception techniques were incredibly creative and effective, but because
their involvement was secret for so long, they haven’t got the recognition they deserve. The legislation to award the Ghost Army the Congressional Gold Medal will finally change that.”
 
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
 
 
 
 
 
 

The National D-Day Memorial Foundation, which operates the Natonal D-Day Memorial, has announced that it strongly endorses an effort to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and 3133rd Signal Company Special. 

Foundation president April Cheek-Messier wrote in a letter to Congress that the Gold Medal should be awarded "in recgnition of their unique and highly distinguished service as a 'Ghost Army' that conducted deception operations in Europe during WWII."

The National D-Day Memorial is a war memorial located in Bedford, Virginia. It serves as the national memorial for American D-Day veterans.

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.   
​
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.  
 
 
 

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 

You can also watch the Livestream of the event here.  

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.

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.

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."

​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.