During World War II, 23d Headquarters, Special Troops and the 3133d Signal Service Company conducted military deception operations against the Third Reich. Their mission was highly classified for decades after the war, and few were aware of their service in misdirecting and confusing enemy forces.
This week, a Congressional Gold Medal was approved by Congress in recognition of the contribution that these secret soldiers made to the war effort.
In 1944 and 1945, these units operated in the European theater setting up elaborate deceptions that included fake radio transmissions, inflatable decoy tanks, and creating entire divisions of soldiers out of thin air. They simply didn't exist, it was all part of the ruse to confuse the Nazis.
After landing on Omaha beach during D-Day, the unit, "used inflatable tanks, artillery, airplanes and other vehicles, advanced engineered soundtracks, and skillfully crafted radio trickery to create the illusion of sizable American forces where there were none and to draw the enemy away from Allied troops," the citation for the unit's Congressional Gold Medal reads.
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During the Battle of the Bulge, they created deceptions that masked the movements of Gen. Patton's 3rd Army. The unit's final mission was to impersonate two entire Army divisions, "using fabricated radio networks, soundtracks of construction work and artillery fire, and more than 600 inflatable vehicles."
This ruse drew the Germans away from attacking American forces, distracting them with a fake mobilization of fake military units.
Three members of the unit were killed during the war, and many others injured. The Congressional Gold Medal is awarded to honor America's "Ghost Army" and their quiet, selfless service.
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Reach Jack Murphy: jack@connectingvets.com or @JackMurphyRGR.
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