WORLD WAR II WON BY ‘GHOST ARMY’?

WORLD WAR II WON BY ‘GHOST ARMY’?

PEAK, S.C. (Wireless Flash) – It sounds spooky but a “ghost army” helped the U.S. win World War II. According to historian Jack Kneece, around the time of D-Day, a special force of 1000 artists, actors and sound technicians set up fake military camps comprised of inflatable tanks, aircraft and artillery in France and Germany. The “ghost army” – which included fashion designer Bill Blass among its members – played recordings of tank noises on loud speakers and managed to convince the German army there were at least 34,000 additional American soldiers on European soil. Kneece estimates the “Ghost Army” saved the lives of 40,000 soldiers, but military brass forbid soldiers from discussing it until 1996. However, Kneece hopes his new book, Ghost Army Of World War II (Pelican Publishing), raises the profile of America’s sneakiest soldiers.

Wed 07-25-01