Ghost Army of World War II How One Top Secret Unit Deceived the Enemy with Inflatable Tanks Sound Effects & Other Audacious Fakery

In the summer of 1944, a handpicked group of young GIs—including such future luminaries as Bill Blass, Ellsworth Kelly, Arthur Singer, and Art Kane—landed in France to conduct a secret mission. Armed with rubber tanks, fake artillery, and more than a few tricks up their sleeves, their job was to create a traveling road show of deception on the battlefields of Europe, with the German Army as their audience. From Normandy to the Rhine, the 1,100 men of the Twenty-Third 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.

As they traveled across Europe, the artists filled their duffel bags with the drawings and paintings that they created between missions. The Ghost Army of World War II is lavishly illustrated with their original artwork, as well as maps, photographs, official memos, and other never-been-seen documents. Rick Beyer and Elizabeth Sayles's meticulous research included interviews with many of the surviving soldiers, creating a compelling narrative of how a traveling road show of artists wielding imagination, paint, and bravado saved thousands of American lives.

"The Ghost Army of World War II is a veritable hive of fascinating information based on sound research. It's apparent that Rick Beyer and Elizabeth Sayles enjoy the subject with a level of dedication and passion that warms the hearts of irascible military historians such as me. I heartily recommend this book." - Martin King, author of Voices of the Bulge and The Tigers of Bastogne, consultant to the History Channel

"World War II was the greatest event in the history of mankind, and although it has been the subject of countless books, documentaries, and academic courses, there is so much still to know. The Ghost Army of World War II describes a perfect example of a little-known, highly imaginative, and daring maneuver that helped open the way for the final drive to Germany. It is a riveting tale told through personal accounts and sketches along the way-ultimately, a story of success against great odds. I enjoyed it enormously." - Tom Brokaw

"A fascinating read, and a fun one as well. Audacious is the right word for this daring sideshow that protected Patton's flank and other American soldiers. The original art is superb and frequently humorous. A well-crafted account of the amazing combination of shenanigans and tremendous courage that characterized the Twenty-Third Headquarters Special Troops." - Libby O'Connell, chief historian of the History Channel, author of The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites

"This book is a complete delight. An engaging account of the battlefield sleights of American GI artists during WWII, it is unprecedented in the breadth and detail of its telling. The suspense of its text is enlivened by a wealth of on-scene photographs, artists' sketchbooks, diaries, and other compelling first-person accounts. This is the eyewitness story of the Ghost Army as told by the artists who made it succeed." - Roy R. Behrens, author of False Colors: Art, Design and Modern Camouflage

"Brings to life a whale of a tale of World War II innovation-one laced with brash creativity. The notion of a special Army unit using dummy equipment, mobile loudspeakers, of?cer impersonations, and foul rumors to deceive German forces seems outlandish, but the tactics worked. This theater-goes-to-war story is finely told and beautifully illustrated-an important contribution." - Gordon H. "Nick" Mueller, president and CEO, the National WWII Museum

"The Ghost Army of World War II describes a perfect example of a little-known, highly imaginative, and daring maneuver that helped open the way for the final drive to Germany. It is a riveting tale told through personal accounts and sketches along the way--ultimately, a story of success against great odds. I enjoyed it enormously." - Tom Brokaw
In the summer of 1944, a handpicked group of young GIs--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. Armed with truckloads of inflatable tanks, a massive collection of sound-effects records, and more than a few tricks up their sleeves, their job was to create a traveling road show of deception on the battlefields of Europe, with the German Army as their audience.
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. Between missions the artists filled their duffel bags with drawings and paintings and dragged them across Europe. Every move they made was top secret and their story was hushed up for decades after the war's end. The Ghost Army of World War II is the first publication to tell the full story of how a traveling road show of artists wielding imagination, paint, and bravado saved thousands of American lives.

"A riveting tale told through personal accounts and sketches along the way--ultimately, a story of success against great odds. I enjoyed it enormously." --Tom Brokaw

The Ghost Army of World War II is the first book to tell the full story of how a traveling road show of artists wielding imagination, paint, and bravado saved thousands of American lives.

In the summer of 1944, a handpicked group of young GIs--including such future luminaries such 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.

Hundreds of color and black and white photographs illuminate how their creations supported the war tactics that helped open the way for the final drive to Germany. The stunning art created between missions offers a glimpse of life behind the lines during World War II:

- Lavishly illustrated with original paintings, sketches, maps, and photographs
- Presents personal accounts and never-before-seen artwork by some of twentieth-century America's leading visual artists
- Shows first-hand the inflatable tanks, counterfeit patches, and highly orchestrated fake maneuvers created by the Ghost Army

Any collector of World War II books will find The Ghost Army of World War II an essential addition to their library.

Historian Rick Beyer is a best-selling author, award-winning filmmaker, and popular speaker. He wrote and directed the acclaimed documentary film The Ghost Army, which premiered on PBS in 2013.

Elizabeth Sayles is the award-winning, best-selling illustrator of more than twenty-five books for children. Her father, William Sayles, was a member of the Ghost Army, and she grew up listening to his war stories.