Ghost Army Bronze Medal

This medal is a bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal presented to the Ghost Army in recognition of their unique and highly distinguished service in conducting deception operations in Europe during World War II. Congress authorized the medal on February 1, 2022. It was presented on March 21, 2024. The Mint issued the bronze medal duplicates in 3.0 inch and 1.5 inch sizes.

The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133rd Signal Service Company, known collectively as the Ghost Army, were U.S. Army tactical deception units in World War II. They deceived the German army on the battlefields of Europe, saving thousands of lives and making a significant contribution to Allied victory. The Ghost Army was unique in the variety of media employed and in its ability to portray the size and movement of actual units.

They employed four types of deception:

• Visual Deception: They deployed inflatable rubber tanks, trucks, artillery, and other vehicles, as well as pyrotechnic displays, to create convincing scenes for enemy observers. They also used bulldozers to create phony tank tracks.
• Sonic Deception: They played sound effects from powerful speakers to simulate the sounds of units moving and operating at night.
• Radio Deception: They sent fake messages to fool enemy intelligence officers listening in. They mimicked a radio operator’s method of sending Morse code, so that the enemy wouldn’t catch on that the real unit and its radio operator were long gone.
• Special Effects: Soldiers carried out theatrics for the benefit of enemy spies. They wore fake shoulder patches, rode in vehicles with fake bumper markings, pretended to “talk loose” at cafes, and even impersonated generals to make their deceptions more convincing.

Today, U.S. Army Special Operations studies and takes inspiration from the wartime activities of these two units.