The Ghost Army: 23rd Headquarters Special Troops
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2024
- The Ghost Army: 23rd Headquarters Special Troops
With Rick Beyer
Part of Spies, Secrets and Subterfuge Week on WW2TV
• Spies, Secrets and Sub...
In the summer of 1944, a hand-picked group of young GIs - artists, designers, architects, and sound engineers, including such future luminaries as Bill Blass, Ellsworth Kelly, Arthur Singer, Victor Dowd, Art Kane, and Jack Masey landed in France to conduct a secret mission. From Normandy to the Rhine, the 1,100 men of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, known as the Ghost Army, conjured up phony convoys, phantom divisions, and make-believe headquarters to fool the enemy about the strength and location of American units. Every move they made was top secret, and their story was hushed up for decades after the war's end.
Rick Beyer is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and bestselling author. He wrote The Greatest Stories Never Told book series and produced films for PBS, the History Channel, National Geographic Channel, and the Smithsonian Institution.
ghostarmy.org/ rickbeyer.net/
Rick's History Happy Hour show
historyhappyhour.com/
Buy the book:
USA bookshop.org/a/21029/97817972...
UK uk.bookshop.org/a/5843/978179...
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What did you do in the war dad? “I blew up tanks and trucks all day, son.” You use a tank destroyer, dad? “ No son I used a pump!” Huh 🤔 Fascinating stuff here.
Another brilliant show Paul, Thank you Rick for bringing this little known unit to us, it's one of those units that was classified forever and it's personnel are finally getting their due. Keep up the great work🍻🍻🍻
Many thanks!
What an interesting show, I wasn't aware of this init. I do like how WW2 TV talk about these less well known units/actions of the war.
That's what we do
I had a book about this unit; not sure if it's the same referenced here. I let the book go when I had to downsize. Very fascinating read!
I think one of their early operations was during the breakout from Normandy to convince the Germans that the American Army had an armored division heading east into the Brittany peninsula instead of West towards Paris and the Seine river.
One of the quotes I remember was that the unit considered itself as a traveling troop of Shakespearean actors, who had to be ready at a moments notice to "perform" as any one of several real divisions.
One of the things they did was having men in different uniforms and unit insignia, and vehicles with unit identification, in the assumption that the Germans had spies and informants left behind to feed them information. The unit's deception techniques were so good that they often convinced other American soldiers from other units.
The unit was an amazing example of the depth of American resources, resourcefulness, and creativity. The Germans never had the resources or ability to do anything similar at the same level.
Fascinating story. It really shows how, even with air superiority and nearly unlimited supplies, every advantage was needed.
Crossing the Rhine, moving the defending forces even a few miles would gain precious minutes.
Great show Rick and Woody!
Thank you very sirs. I'd heard of and seen photos of Patton's nonArmy in the UK. This is a completely unexpected twist!
Same here @bruceday6799
@@philbosworth3789 Great minds...
Another EXCELLENT guest. Learning another side about WW2. Woody, great to see you can find all these authors/guests, so many of us would never know anything about this. Thanks to both of you!
This was such a fantastic presentation, the anecdote about wearing colonel patches was just great.
Another excellent presentation. Thank you.📸👍
Great again. Loved the episode.
this was a really good one rick is a very personable guy with an easy style. thank you
Thanks WW2TV
Thanks for this episode. It was very informative, and interesting. Rare to see something other than an odd photo of one of the inflatables, and an occasional mention of "Patton's Ghost Army" in England. Cheers from Texas, from an old guy that loves history.
Fascinating interview, thanks Paul. I'm gonna have to buy Rick's book!
Thanks for this fascinating talk.
😂The sweetest part of the deception and I dare say the compelling proof that is is working...
That example of American troops (officers), accidentally or otherwise, coming into contact with the "Ghost Army" ...and being duped by their own ...as stated with the instance of the senior Westpointers, meeting their junior who advanced in rank past them to be a Colonel while they remained Captains 😂
A good instalment in a very solid week, none of which I will make live sadly. Great work!
Howdy folks! Enjoyable and entertaining show on the US Army’s battlefield deception units in Europe. Tremendous photos and insight from Rick.
Great presenation and I read the book. It was facinating. Thanks guys!!
Thanks!
Wow, thank you for such and interesting show! Although I was perhaps most surprised that it took you 7 years to convince Congress to award them a gold medal for their service.
Great presentation, did not know about this unit.
😮as for narrow escapes and coming under enemy fire...the unpredictable weather must also have been scary...high winds and heavy rains making inflatables "blowing" away or "floating" away, unlike the real heavier vehicles etc😮
I really like the unit patch.
The question came up as to whether the Germans engaged in similar ruses. Apparently they did. Just reading Stan Scislowski’s book, “Not All of Us Were Brave”, about being with the Perth Regiment in Italy, and came across this: “A short way up the cart track we passed a dummy tank made up of wood framework covered with burlap sacking. From afar, it was supposed to fool us into thinking it was a Tiger tank. To make it look even more realistic, beside it the Jerries had piled up a stack of wooden shell crates. The ruse was questionable; it fooled no one”.
Hey Paul :) What happened to the Monday Myth shows?
I haven't found any more suitable subjects and guests just yet, but they will return
@@WW2TV perfect thanks :)
Planning a few now
Beautiful scetches and artwork these guys made! :)
I really like this unit and this presentation was fantastic!
p.s. Defenetley checking out History Happy Hour!
Very interested in the lobbying effort!
I understand they appeared in the Cairo area
There were British deception units in that area yes
Jasper Maskelyne was involved in the British effort?
Yes, although he was a drunk who caused many problems
@@WW2TV Interesting. I didn't know
Yes it's a crazy story
This question is in the wrong place but I didnt know where else to ask so appoligies to begin with. Question is the short you just posted about teaching history to younger people could I please have the link to the whole conversation. As a retired history teacher of 30yrs that very much interested me and am wanting to watch the whole thing. God bless have a great day TY for all you do Sir!!!
All the shorts on WW2TV have a link to the long format show, but here is the one with Chloe Melas ruclips.net/user/livewh7CQ0WMpnI?si=Sj1yxq_RE8UOrJGw
TY Sir and I see the link you spoke of now. Much love you, your content, effort, and all you do.@@WW2TV
You're welcome
You need to think of the success of all these deception efforts for Operation Neptune not in the singular but in the entirety. What I think was the success of these ops was building a preponderance of evidence that would create a consensus within the Wehrmacht's high command as to the Allies intentions. The German leadership was too large and varied in outlook to be able to convince them by singular events. You had to goad them into a groupthink with a series of events that would accrue to the Allies advantage.
The inflatable landing craft deployed in eastern English harbours prior to D-Day were way bigger than the tanks…
Yes, but they were not produced by the same unit. Fortitude was managed by different units
@@WW2TV George Patton was intimately involved in Fortitude South along with the 21st Army Group.
Carrying a similar deception into France wouldn’t have upset him at all.
Actually Patton wasn't involved much on a practical basis, he was the figurehead of FUSAG of course, but found the whole position demeaning.
@@WW2TV On the other hand he was fully aware of what was going on and why. I doubt he had any issues with it being used directly for his benefit later.
Probably
Where did Jasper Masklayne fit into this theater of theatrics?
He didn't.
Anyone in the unit named Kelly, oddball, big joe, crap game or moriarty? No negative vibes
Patton was in Charge of it before DDay,
They were different units and Patton was not in charge in the sense that he had any direct involvement within the mechanics of the deceptions. His role was as the head of FUSAG - which didn't exist
@@WW2TV Yes, that was the deception, the Nazies thought more of Patton.
Well actually according to Kevin Hymel, there's little actual evidence for the Germans believing Patton was the best
@@WW2TV Or maybe just wary of him, Rommel's early successes was because he had all the British battle plans from Italians, who had burgled the American Embassy in Room. :)
Yep maybe
Opposites come together and though there was friction, they find a way to make it work... US Congress should take a lesson! #AmericanWhoLostAllHopeofCountry2016
😩 *PromoSM*
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