Eight decades after their military feints saved thousands of Allied soldiers’ lives during the struggle to free Europe from Adolf Hitler’s grip, the men of America’s fabled “Ghost Army” were honored with a Congressional Gold Medal on Thursday.
Only seven of the more than 1,000 troops who served in the Ghost Army are still alive today, and three — Bernard Bluestein, John Christman and Seymour Nussenbaum — attended Thursday’s ceremony.
The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and 3133rd Signal Service Company performed more than 20 operations during World War II, tricking German generals into believing large divisions of tanks and infantry were poised to attack in one location when, in fact, Allied forces were preparing assaults elsewhere.
